Bloodlust
by sharangurl
Summary: It was so odd. He hated that thing, but it held such beauty he couldn’t help but stare for a while. His eyes finally fell upon her mouth and the two protruding fangs. She was a vampire. The very image knocked the wind out him. IchixRuki
1. The Nightmare

**Don't freak out, I am still continuing She's Back. My internet went off on me over the weekend, and it was the weekend where I didn't have that much homework. So I was bursting with ideas and so I opened up word and typed away. The storyline is still under development but hopefully you like this little teaser.**

Something was not right. Ichigo knew it from the minute they left the house. He felt a mysterious aura surrounding them. He could feel his mother's sweaty palms as she gripped his hand tight. She'd grow tense, and her demeanor would grow cautious with the sound of a clang or bark.

No, something was definitely off this night. The sun was sinking lower and lower below the horizon's clean line. Painting the skies in purple, pink, and oranges hues. Every now and then, the tight face his mother wore would break away to reveal a comforting smile to her son.

He asked her twice where they were going to, and twice she denied him an answer. All she would say was that they were going to uncle Urahara's. He was an odd hermit who lived in his small store.

Young Ichigo was confounded by the change of behavior in his mother. All he had mentioned was the strange fever that had taken a hold of him. He felt an odd pressure weighing down on his body. She gave him one glimpse, which was enough to make his mother rip off her apron and run out of the kitchen with a fury he had never seen. He thought he saw a glimpse of tears in her eyes, but he'd never be sure.

Her shoes clacked across the gravel, at a rushed pace, while she gently tugged the nine-year-old along. Now came the part where she hesitated in front of an alley, seeming to stare off into the darkness. Ichigo's eyes alternated between his mother and the pitch black alleyway. The streetlights flickered and then stopped. Darkness was draped across the city. The gears in backup generators started to rotate, and restaurants got their light back.

He could hear some rustling in the alley, but only thought it to be a rodent or some animal. Then there was a hushed whimper that echoed through the night air. Ichigo gripped his mother's hand as tight as he could, tugging on it to coerce her away from the foreboding place. Lightening filled the sky and revealed the image of a bloody body levitated in mid-air. The unknown person's eyes were wide with fear and their mouth seemed forced shut by an invisible hand. In that short second of light, Ichigo thought he had seen something. Something that was vague and very large, something that shouldn't be seen. The line between it and the wall behind it were blurred and distorted. There was some sort of creature there. But what it was, he didn't know and didn't want to know.

His mother kneeled down to his level and whispered in a rushed tone, "Go into that store Ichigo and stay there! I'll be back for you, I promise!" With that she turned and walked into the alley, her whole body rigid and tense.

Ichigo tried to move his legs. One leg wanted to go after his mother, and the other wanted to do as she said, but his mind was torn. Soft droplets pelted his skin. His hair slowly drooped down onto his forehead, which grew creased with worry. Lightening filled the sky again though the image it revealed was not a stranger's body that laid in mid-air, but that of his mother.

"Mom!" Ichigo screamed, and the blood rushed back into his frozen veins. He ran towards the danger that lingered in the alley, his head filled with the last images of his mother. He was blind in the darkness but he didn't care. He only thought of his mother and praying the whole time that he would get to see her smiling face again.

He tripped over something solid, yet soft. He felt his way across the ground, aware of the ferocious growls in the distant. His hands came across clothing, and his heartbeat increased, fearing that this was his mother. Another flash tore across the sky and he realized it was the other person, eyes no longer wide with fear but frozen with death. Goosebumps rose along his skin. Ichigo flinched at the sound of the thunder ringing out against the night. But it wasn't the thunder that he feared, it was the growl that was mixed in with it. Something grabbed at his leg, and he screamed.

"Ichigo…" his mother whispered in a dying voice, "run!"

IChigo scrambled across the grimy ground towards her body, all the while gripping her cold hand. No matter how much she tried to make him run, he wouldn't budge. This was his guardian, his angel, his mother. Nothing would make him leave her to die alone.

At that minute, a cold monstrous hand gripped his neck and picked him up off the floor. "Help!" he tried to scream out, but he barely had any oxygen left inside his lungs. His vision was slowly growing blurred, and soon he started to slip in and out of consciousness. To his surprise the monster let out a painful growl, and Ichigo fell to the floor. He choked on the rainwater that dripped down his throat, trying his hardest to move. It was so dark, and he didn't know if his mother would be alive.

"I love you," he heard, and tears began to sting at his eyes.

"Don't say that mom. You promised, we have to walk out of here together," he replied, his voice shaking.

He needed to get help. He was trapped in the black cage, not knowing which way was the exit. The streetlights were all out. He just needed the stormy skies to grant him one last wish. On cue, lightning lit the sky up, and he caught a glimpse of the monster. It was so odd, he hated that thing, but it held such beauty he couldn't help but stare for a while. It's eyes, or should he say, her eyes were brilliant. Her deathly pale skin glowed against the night. It looked as cold as ice and fragile as glass, he almost flinched at the thought of touching it and having it crumble in his hands. His eyes finally fell upon her mouth and the two protruding fangs. She was a vampire. The very image knocked the wind out him. Whether it was out of awe or fear he could not know.

The thunder shook him out of his reverie. Ichigo knelt over and planted one last kiss on his mother's cheek. He ran with all the strength left in his body towards the opening.

"HELP!" Ichigo screamed, as he came to. His body had broken out in cold sweat, and a drop of it ran down the side of his face. His chest rose and fell heavily. He gasped for air as he tried to get rid of the images from the dream. Thunder rang out into the night, as rain bombarded his window. The sheets ruffled around Ichigo as he turned onto his stomach and buried his face into his pillow. Oh how he hated the rain, especially at night when all his monsters seemed to come off their leashes.

**I know its short but I promise there is more to come. Hope you enjoyed.  
Please review, it really helps nurture these stories!**


	2. The Meeting

**Ok so this is way longer than chapter one since it has like 3 different scenes! YAY! I finally finished and I'm so sorry for the extreme delay. One word, school! I hope you guys enjoy! PLEASE REVIEW!!! I edited it to the best of my ability so hope you don't cringe from some bad grammar. I had to reupload a new chapter cuz my computer is crazy and nothing works the way it should so sorry if you couldn't read this chapter for a while since it got deleted!  
**

**The Meeting**

Ichigo's chest rose and fell in rhythm with his deep breaths. His placid face showed no lingering evidence of the nightmare, except for the deep frown lines that marred his forehead. The sheets were entangled around the limbs of his body in a disorderly fashion.

The loud ringing of a phone slowly pulled him out of his sleepy state. Upon realizing what the source of the offending noise was, he let out a grunt. His hands languidly moved across the surface of the bed to the side table. Finally he managed to press the talk button and force out a pathetic hello.

"Kurosaki your late! Where the fuck are you? It's 7 o'clock and I'm tired of covering for your ass!" screamed an irritating voice that made the drowsy Ichigo cringe.

"Uryuu? Five more minutes," Ichigo replied, hanging up the phone as his superior started to yell again.

Ichigo shut his eyes, preparing to go back to sleep when his body jolted wide awake in realization of what being late meant.

He leapt out of bed stripping off his underwear and dressing for work as fast as he could. All the while he murmured shit like a mantra as he ran around like a chicken with its head cut off. He ran into the bathroom while putting on a shirt and then ran out with a tooth brush in his mouth. Slipping on his shoes and overcoat as fast as he could, he ran into the kitchen spit out the toothpaste and dumped the toothbrush in as well. He made a mental note to clean up after he came home, but the likelihood of that was low since he'd be working extra hard today. He grabbed the car keys and ran out of the house and made his way to his car.

Being a paramedic had its obstacles and rough patches. Ichigo worked twelve hour shifts, three days a week. Luckily he got the day shift. Being late meant bad news, especially on Uryuu Ishida's watch. This meant a substantial cut in his paycheck, since this meant someone else had to do overtime. Usually you were to be at the hospital fifteen minutes early in order to get everything checked and organized so you could take over the next shift while the other paramedics came back.

He pulled into the staff parking lot and made a sprint for the paramedic trucks hoping to avoid the wrath of Ishida, who although was his friend, put work before all else, even a certain female coworker.

Ichigo made it to the the station house in order to prep the equipment, when a certain voice froze him in his actions.

"Kurosaki don't think I'm letting you off easy. Orihime and Tatsuki took over the next call that came in for your lazy a-" but Ishida was caught off guard as Ichigo turned around to face him in all his disheveled glory.

"Sorry, I know there is no good excuse but..." Ichigo started, looking down like a child that got caught stealing a cookie.

"You had that dream again huh?" the raven haired superior asked, his expression changing from anger and frustration to that of understanding.

"How did you know?" Ichigo asked with a bewildered expression, was he that obvious?

"Yes you are that obvious," he answered, almost reading the carrot top's mind. "C'mon look at yourself. Your skin is pale, your eyes are shot and have deep bags, and not to mention the extra deep frown. The last time you were late, it was because you had the same dream and you came to work in the same state. Give me some credit here, I've known you for a long time."

"Mind if I ask you something?" Uryuu asked, curiosity overcoming him.

"Anything," Ichigo replied, having a pretty good idea of what it was.

"Did you see the face this time? I mean _her_ face," Uryuu replied, struggling to keep eye contact with his friend.

"I always see her face Uryuu. I just never seem to remember what it looks like after I wake up. Its so hazy it'd be a miracle if it ever cleared up," Ichigo replied. Although, most of the time he tried not to remember.

Just as he finished, an ambulance pulled in. Orihime got out of the truck with a bright smile on her face, not showing a single signs of apathy.

"False alarm!" she yelled to them in a sing songy voice. "Some man managed to get locked in a car and hyperventilate, but we talked him out if it" she said.

"Oh! Hi Kurosaki-kun! You don't look well. Maybe you should take the day off," she replied, genuinely concerned for him.

"I'm afraid not, he's got extra rounds to make for sleeping in. You should be the one taking care of yourself, especially after taking on the last call by yourself" Ishida replied, trying to keep any shakiness out of his voice.

"Alone? I was with her too you know! I mean I need Ichigo just as much. His hair always wakes me up," Tatsuki yelled from the drivers seat.

"Oh Uryuu, you worry too much. He's had that nightmare again, so take it easy on him, please?" she pleaded, trying to keep her voice low but failing miserably. Ichigo did a double take, ok seriously, was he that obvious!? Wait, he never told her about his nightmares.

"O-Okay," he stuttered out before he could even think. Ichigo smirked in the distance, knowing how Ishida felt towards Orihime, and how Inoue seemed to be oblivious to his affections. But strict rules forbade relationships between colleagues and Ishida followed the rules with a passion.

"Oh I knew you'd see it my way! You're too sweet!" she squealed.

"Hold on! I'm not taking a day off okay. I'm fine see?," Ichigo said, shakily standing up. "I don't need a day off."

"Fine Ichigo but if you're coming with us, you're going to have to drink Orihime's hot chocolate with red bean baste and soy sauce. It always seems to..._wake_...you up," Tatsuki insisted as she got out of the ambulance. The very thought of the drink caused the gag reflex in Ichigo to go off.

"Fine...I'll take the day off," Ichigo managed to grumble out.

"Have fun Kurosaki-kun! C'mon Tatsuki, you have to try my friend fried bean past and mustard sandwich while we wait for the next call!" Orihime said, latching onto her anxious looking friend.

"Get Hanataro down here for EMT duty," Ishida spoke into the walkie talkie, all the while staring at Orihime as she disappeared into the office. Ichigo chuckled at the sight of his lovestruck friend.

"What are you looking at? Get to work Kurosaki before I decide to fire you!" Ishida yelled, upon noticing the carrot top grinning like the cheshire cat.

"Alright _romeo_, don't get your panties in a twist," Ichigo replied quickly running out of there before Ishida threw another fit and _really_ did fire him.

* * *

The cold air laved at her skin as she stood atop the apartment building, but she wouldn't have noticed, immune to any feeling. Her deep maroon eyes, flecked with hints of violet, roved over the people walking down below hungrily. Somewhere deep down her mind was telling her to calm down, but the animalistic instincts were too powerful. It was her fault after all, she didn't take heed of the warning signs that her body was growing thirstier. She had detoured from her regular schedule in order to search for a particular person of interest. Unfortunately all it got her was far away from her real destination and a body craving for a certain red _wine_. She felt like she was dehydrated and her parched throat burned as the sun beat down on her.

"Maybe just one person," she thought to herself, eyes glazing over with desire. "No! Get a hold of yourself, Rukia! You just have to make it a couple more miles."

The suns rays were blocked out by clouds, and for those few passing moments her eyes returned to their violet shade. She shouldn't have looked for so long. She should have been at the hospital before the sun even came up. Suddenly a scream permeated the air. Residents of the city could be seen looking around for the source but brushed it off their minds and moved on with their lives.

"HEL-" and the female voice was cut off. Her maroon eyes quickly scanned the area over until she saw the scene taking place in one of the alleyways. She debated over whether helping the victim or not. Helping could cause her to lose control of her already unstable body and kill. On the other hand, not helping meant someone dying.

"Screw it," she whispered, sprinting across building rooftops. She dropped down into the ally, feet meeting the grimy street with barely a whisper.

The mugger had knocked the lady out and was fumbling with his coat until he finally pulled out a rust laden knife.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Rukia said, causing the man to jolt in surprise. He let go of the unconscious women, letting her drop to the floor like a rag doll. He held the knife with both hands and brandished it in the direction of the raven haired female.

"Wh-Where did you come from?!" he yelled.

"Does that really matter. Just go," she replied, staring him down, all the while resisting the urge to plunge her canines into his neck.

"Me? I think you should be the one running little girl," he sneered. A vein pulsed in her head, those little girl wisecracks were getting on her last nerves. She slowly started to walk towards him. Her eyes alternated from looking at his face to his jugular.

"Stop! I'll have to kill you too," he yelled at her.

"Oh please. You'd be doing me a favor if you would actually succeed," she replied, dodging the swipes of his knife as she walked closer and closer. She grabbed his hand and twisted one of his wrists until he dropped the knife, but before she knew it his other hand had her slammed against the wall. He held her by the scruff of her neck, shaking out his throbbing hand. Rukia, all the while, was cursing herself for her slow reflexes. "Damn, this is what I get for not drinking," she thought.

"I think you managed to break something. I'll make sure you pay for that after I have a little fun with you," he replied in a low growl. She smelled it then. The piercing metallic smell that filled her lungs and burned her throat. The hand he held her by was slowly bleeding, in the middle of this scuffle, he had somehow managed to cut himself. Although it was only a cut, the small drop of blood was attacking her senses. Bit by bit, her tightly wound strings were coming apart. She was loosing control fast.

"I'm afraid I will be the one having fun," Rukia whispered in a menacing tone. Her eyes turned into deep pools of scarlet. The man's hand started shaking as he took notice of her unusual eyes. His confidence wavered and indecision replaced it. The mugger didn't know if he should flee before he got hurt or stay put and take out the unusually strong little girl. Wait, was that just a fang he saw in her mouth? There was one tiny string holding her back from opening her mouth wide and piercing his arteries. Her mouth was half open, as her brain sought for control and her mouth refused to listen.

Before the mugger or Rukia could make a move, a deep voice cut through the tense air. "Put her down and back away!"

"Shit!" Rukia thought and turned her head quickly in the direction of the voice. The sudden movement frightened the criminal into slamming her head in with the butt of the knife. She blacked out for a couple of minutes, but not before she caught a glimpse of orange in her view.

* * *

Ichigo decided to take a walk in town, reminiscing as each section of the town held so many memories. His whole mood was off as the nightmare was still fresh in his memory. He hated not remembering her face, that _murderer's_ face. He had gone to so many psychiatrists and hypnotists hoping they could help him remember, help him to catch the bad guy. All his efforts failed as the same answer kept resurfacing. Apparently the trauma that it caused him in his younger years was too much for his mind to bear, that it blocked out the image of the murderer's face. He hated taking days off from work. He detested being left alone with his thoughts. He had never fully recovered, always feeling guiltridden for not avenging his mother's death. What kind of son was he? He felt so weak...so pathetic.

Whenever he took a stroll in town he always avoided _that_ alleyway. He'd like to avoid any kind of alleyway all together but that wasn't about to happen anytime soon. He had taken on the job of being a paramedic to help someone in their most vital hours. What happened to someone in those few minutes after being hurt was crucial to how stable their condition was. He liked to know that the immediate care he and his team provided could very well safe another mother's life, if not his own.

His mind stopped racing as soon as he heard the scream. Instincts took over as he calmed down and paid attention to the direction the voice came from. As all the other people continued on with their lives, Ichigo stood desperately hoping it wasn't too late. The second cry came but was cut off too soon. Ichigo heard it though and he raced down the street and veered to the left. There was an alley at the end of the street and barely any cars or pedestrians walked along these roads. He had entered the warehouse district of Karakura, a place not many would venture into without illegal intent.

He could see a brawl taking place in the alley as a lady was knocked out cold and pinned against the wall. He ran as fast as he could trying not to make a sound simultaneously. His pace slowed as the thug let go of the lady and looked down into the shadows of the alleyway. As soon as the man started to swing his arm with the shiny metal around violently Ichigo took off sprinting. He was confused, but he had a gut feeling telling him that he needed to get there as soon as he could. When another form was pinned to the wall, with the body shape of a young female, his legs roared to life and carried him faster than he ever thought he could go.

"Put her down and back away!" Ichigo yelled with ardor, daring the man to do otherwise. The girl jerked her head in his direction and for a second he thought her eyes were red, but her eyes shut closed as soon as she was hit on the head.

"I said put her down you fucking prick!" Ichigo yelled running at the man with his fist clenched tight, ready to deliver damage. He hit the man with a mean right hook that knocked him out before he even hit the ground. "Maybe I took out a little too much anger on him," thought Ichigo.

His attention returned to the two females. The women that was first pinned to the wall was regaining conciousness but the raven haired one was still out. Ichigo carefully searched both the women for any signs of wounds or assault, thankfully he had reached there just in time.

"Wh-What happ...Oh my God!" the brown-haired lady said, realizing what had happened when she saw the assailant knocked out cold on the ground. "Did she... I think this young girl was trying to help me," she continued looking upon Rukia's face.

"You think you can help me get her in my car?" Ichigo asked. His eyes lingered on her placid expression, her dark hair splayed out on the ground. Worry was etched into every corner of his face. His frown was evermore prominent.

"What?!" the lady asked, frightened that this man wasn't trying to save them. Ideas of pedophiles and perverts pervaded her head.

"No! No! You don't understand. I'm a paremedic at the hospital," Ichigo replied showing her his license. "I was going to take her down to the hospital, you see she got hit in head pretty hard and I just want to make sure she didn't have any concussions."

"Oh, sorry. I'll help" she replied, regaining her strength. She stood up thought still looking frazzled. "What do you need me to do?"

"Just help me get my car door open," he replied, tugging the unconscious girl's arm around his head. One arm held her just under her shoulder blades, and the other reached under her knees. He slowly lifted her up and walked back the way he came.

They drew quite a lot of eyes as they walked down the street to his car. The brunette helped him get Rukia into the passenger seat and then continued to a nearby store to get the police.

Ichigo got into the driver's seat, hoping this wouldn't create such a big spectacle. For some reason he felt terribly worried for this stranger in his car. Although young, he couldn't deny that she held a breathtaking beauty to her. Her raven hair contrasted perfectly with her pale and smooth skin. He shook his head and stopped ogling the victim. He needed to concentrate on getting her care.

They were nearing the hospital when she began to stir.

"Ungggh" she groaned rubbing the back of her head. Her hand moved down to her throat trying to soothe the burning. When her senses began to return she realized where she was, but the question was with who. She looked to the driver's seat and winced. "Damn! I just wanted to see him, not meet him," she thought.

"You seem surprisingly calm," Ichigo replied, sneaking a glance at the girl.

"Why would you say that?" she replied, her pleasant and alluring voice sending shivers up his spine.

"Because first of all, your in some complete strangers car. Second of all you have no idea where I'm taking you," he replied keeping his eyes trained on the road. He was afraid to look into her eyes, fearing to see those scarlet orbs.

"I trust you. You saved me after all," she replied. The sun was no longer to be seen, as clouds drifted in. She let out a soft sigh as some pressure was lifted from her lungs. But her body was still tense as the presence of him was strong. She held her breath hoping not to lose control in this car. Not now, not with him in the car, or it would all be a waste. If her heart still beat, it would be thumping like a jackhammer at mere distance between the two. She hid the turmoil inside well enough that he didn't notice how wound up she was.

"Well you saved that lady too, so you deserve some credit," he replied.

"So where _are_ we going?" she asked.

"The hospital. You took quite a hit to the head. I just wanted to make sure you didn't have any concussions, maybe run a few blood tests in case he cut you with that rusty knife," he replied casually. Anger raging inside at the thought that that sleazebag cut her flawless skin.

"_WHAT?_! Stop the car!" she yelled upon hearing of blood tests, shocking the carrot top into losing control of the wheel for a few seconds.

"Shit! Calm the hell down. It's just the hosp-"

"You can't make me! I'm fine!" she replied urgently. Fear overtook her at the thought of being found out for what she truly was. No, not a hero...but a monster.

"Someone's still afraid of shots huh? It's ok, lot's of little girl's are," he replied teasingly. He yelped as he felt a sharp pinch on his bicep. This little girl was freakishly strong. That pinch was sure to leave a bruise.

"Don't you ever call me a little girl! I don't want a freaking blood test ok! I'm fine, he didn't cut me," she replied trying to persuade him. All she did was add fuel to his curiosity as to why she was freaking out so much. Apparently it had something to do with blood tests, and her height.

Before they knew it, they were in the parking lot. She was a challenge and he was determined to make sure she was _really_ alright. Plus his inquisitiveness got to the better of him, she was certainly a mystery.

"Look I just want to get a few scans done on your head. There's no need for blood tests if your not cut. Now will you come with me?" he asked.

"You promise you won't make me take a blood test?" she asked.

"I promise," he replied, finally looking her in the eyes. Relief, surprise, bewilderment, astonishment roiled through his body upon seeing her sapphire violet eyes. She looked so familiar, and if it was possible, she_ felt_ so familiar.

"Ok, fine let's go," she replied with a pout. Gracefully stomping in the direction of the entrance. Unbeknownst to Rukia, the carrot top was crossing his fingers to whole time. He didn't care if curiosity killed the cat, he felt a need to know everything about her. He needed to protect her, from what, he didn't exactly know.

* * *

**YES! I finally got this done! I know you all must hate me so much for taking the longest time! Especially after all your amazing comments on the first chapter. I know I've got no real excuse other than I was busy and not feeling in the writing mood. English class and art were draining me of my creative energy.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter. The storyline isn't as planned out as I would have like it to be, which is why this chapter took me such a long time. I just didn't know what job Ichigo should have. It was killing me and I guess paramedic suits the storyline well. I know I'm being silly, but the perfectionist in me comes out when it comes to writing**

**Sorry if I ranted but please review and much love and Merry really late Christmas to everyone! I didn't want to rush it and give you a crappy product. It still needs editing and I might do it later but I don't want to delay it anymore!**

**ENJOY AND REVIEW!!!**


	3. The Unexpected Favor

**Way late of an update. I won't leave you waiting any longer so here it is! CHAPTER 3! YAY!**

The Unexpected Favor

The doors to the hospital slid open for two figures as they triggered the sensors. She stopped three feet away from the door, already smelling the blood as it wafted past her nose. She felt odd, never had she walked into this hospital through the front. Her whole existence depended on being discreet and here she was, walking into a room full of humans. All her senses were aggravated at the deprivation from that bloody liquor. Ichigo raised an eyebrow, ready to chase her down if she decided to run for it. Unknown to him, she could outrun him any day. She turned around dispelled all the tainted air from her lungs, standing stock still. Finally Rukia turned around and walked through the threshold. Ichigo led her towards a burly security guard, to her dismay, she had a good idea of what he was going to do.

"Hey Chad. Would you mind doing something for me?" Ichigo asked.

"Of course. What is it?," he asked in a deep gravely voice.

Ichigo leaned in and whispered to the guard, shooting side glances at Rukia to make sure she was still there. She stood there with her arms crossed and an unhappy pout, looking every bit the child. She could hear everything and didn't take too kindly to being babysat. Rukia Kuchiki kept her word. There was no need to have a guard make sure she stayed put.

"Thanks, I'll be back," he replied and walked towards the receptionist's desk. Rukia mentally stuck her tongue out at the man's back. She wasn't a child that needed looking after. By now she was probably healed.

As she stood there, her mind refocused on the delicious smell. All the injured and bleeding patients in the waiting room were causing her two canines to tingle. Her hands fisted, nails digging into her skin; she tensed up trying to let her mind stay in control.

"Are you okay?" the security guard asked, though his expression showed no worry.

"Yea. I just don't like hospitals," she replied. She watched Ichigo talk to the lady at the front desk, who was clearly enamored with him. It almost disgusted her how petty humans could be. Not that she cared what they did or who they did it with, certainly not when it came to Ichigo.

He said his goodbyes and walked back towards her.

"Thanks Chad. I hope she didn't give you too much trouble," the carrot top replied, flashing his grin.

"No problem Ichigo," the built man replied.

"Come on, I could only find an MRI machine that is free, but that will have to do," Ichigo replied, walking in the direction of a hallway.

"Is this how you treat all your patients?" Rukia asked, perturbed. She didn't have to deal with this after all the years she lived. This man was a mere boy to her. Her patience was dwindling due to the fact that her nostrils burned and all her energy was being focused towards control.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked, bewildered, not bothering to turn around and have a normal conversation with her.

"I mean like a prisoner!" She hissed out.

"Excuse me? Sorry if I was making sure you're alright!" the carrot top yelled, turning around to meet her gaze; both of them stopping in their tracks.

"Why do you care!?" She yelled in return, causing Ichigo's eyes to widen. Why did he care so much? In truth, he felt drawn towards her the minute he saw her. Watching that man pin her to the wall, it made his blood boil. True, it was in the nature of men to feel the need to protect women, but this was different. Then there was the strange burning curiosity in him. Ordinarily he would have let it go had it been any other woman, but she didn't exactly fit that category. She was so familiar to him, with her lavender scent. It caused his brain to go crazy, like a locked door was trying to be opened.

"I...I have to because if you ended up having a concussion and passing out, it would be all my fault," he replied, losing eye contact and continuing on.

"Yea well you could have just handed me over to someone else!" she replied bitingly. He flinched inwardly, knowing she had a point, but not wanting to recognize it. She was beginning to frustrate him to the point where he wished she were unconscious.

Rukia on the other hand felt a little guilty after her last comment, she must have come off like a haughty bitch. Here she was biting off the head, pardon the pun, of someone who was going out of his way for her.

"I'm s-" she began to apologize when he immediately cut her off.

"Would you just shut up and be grateful! You...You...MIDGET!" he yelled, causing a nurse in the hallway to glare at him accusingly.

"Midget?! Midget! Who the f-"

"We're here," he replied, ignoring her protests. "There will be a gown in there for you to change into. I'll be waiting out here."

"Fine," she snapped and walked into the changing room. Ichigo stood leaning against the wall, half smirking at her childish reactions. Ichigo had dealt with lots of patients who were uncooperative before, but he never let that stop him. One way or another he was going to get that blood test from her. Just because she was afraid of a few needles, he wasn't about to let her stubbornness jeopardize her health. He kept repeating those reasons in his head, trying to convince himself that he just wanted to make sure she didn't die. He didn't want anyone else's death on his hands.

"While you're at it, make sure you take off any metallic objects. You don't have any kind of implant like a pacemaker do you?" he asked.

"No," came her muffled reply.

The door finally opened and she walked out with a green gown on. Despite the tight knots in the back of the gown, Rukia held the two sides of it together to make sure nothing could be seen through the small gaps.

"Don't worry, no one is staring at your behind," he replied, opening the door across from her.

"I'm not taking any chances around you," she replied, holding her chin high and walking past him. He walked after her with his teeth clenched and a thousand curses running through his head. She took a look around the room and saw a large box like object in the center of the room, with a donut hole in the center.

"What's that?" Rukia asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

"That's the MRI machine. We're going to use it to get a scan of your brain and see if there is any bleeding. The doctor will be in soon," he replied. There was a knock at the door and a raven haired man walked in.

"Hey Ishida, are you the doctor they sent?" Ichigo asked, looking at his friend.

"Yea, I heard you needed an RT. I thought I told you to take the day off, and you end up finding work for me _and_ you," he playfully replied. Then he looked at Rukia, finally taking in her presence.

"An RT?" she asked, tugging at her gown more.

"A radiologic technologist. You see, since Ichigo is a paramedic, he isn't allowed to play with the big boy equipment. I'm the one who is going to read the images," the man named Ishida replied.

"Oh just shut up Ishida. At least I didn't lose years of my life on medical school," Ichigo rebuked.

"Whatever. I'll be in the other room getting everything ready. See you in there," he said to Ichigo and left.

"Ok, get on the tray," Ichigo told Rukia.

"Wait, hold on! I...I have to get in that small tunnel!" she yelled.

"Yes. How else did you expect us to check out your head. Now get on!" he commanded.

"No! I won't!" she said, while crossing her arms in defiance.

"Why the hell not?" he asked, hands clenched at his sides. If she had not been absolutely terrified, she would have been laughing at the sight of him. It looked like hot steam would blow out of his ears soon.

"I hate small spaces. They...It...I'm just...I'm claustrophobic you moron!" she hissed out.

"Great. Just fantastic. Stay here," he said in a tone that implied he was serious.

A few moments later he walked back in with a needle and small bottle in hand. He filled the needle up and advanced towards her silently.

"Wait, Ichigo, wait," she replied, backing away slowly.

"It's just a mild sedative. It'll just calm you down," he replied, holding his hands up in a manner that showed he wasn't going to harm her.

"Hell no! Your not getting that anywhere near me!" she screamed and backed away from his advances. As soon as her back hit the wall, she took off running towards the door. All she could think about was how stupid she had been for straying from her meticulous schedule. If she had just stayed on course and not gone gallivanting off to be a hero, she wouldn't have ended up in a situation where she was being chased down by some strange orange haired man. Her thoughts broke off as a warm, strong arm wrapped itself around her waist and brought her crashing into a hard and muscular chest.

"I promise I won't hurt you. It'll just sting a little," he replied in a lulling voice. Her body slowly relaxed into his touch. It was so ironic to think of how many times her role had been reversed and she was the one trying to lull someone into a sense of security.

"O-Okay. Alright," she replied, knowing if she didn't come quietly, he wouldn't hesitate in using force. He was also being exceptionally nice and using his bedside manners for a change. She sat down on the tray and he gave her the sedative. Her eyes were clenched tight, and her head was turned away as the needle pulled out of her skin. Immediately she could feel the calming affects. He gently lowered her down onto the cold tray.

"I'm going to put these MRI coils around your head okay? It just helps us get a clearer picture," he replied, slowly putting her head into an odd looking contraption. His voice only enhanced the sedatives. He placed an object in her hand and said something to her, all she could make out was if there was if there was only problem, she should push the button on it.

He attempted to leave her side but a small yet strong hand clutched onto his arm. "Where are you going?" Rukia asked. Ichigo was caught off guard when he saw the worry etched across her face. Sure she seemed to be scared of needles and hospitals, but this seemed like real fear. The kind that poses obstacles and shapes people's lives. The kind you only want to experience once.

"I'll be in the other room watching," he replied, and before she knew it, he was gone. For some reason, the thought of him watching over her made her feel relieved. Her mind reeled in and out of unconsciousness as she slowly slid into the machine. Bright lights filled her vision and she thought that this is how dying must look like.

* * *

Ishida waited as his friend walked away from the petite lady. He'd never seen Ichigo act so gentle or protective of someone, besides his little sisters. Whoever this woman was, she had brought out a look in his eyes that he hadn't seen...well... ever.

"Hey did you need to talk to me?" Ichigo asked, taking a seat in one of the chairs, all the while having his eyes trained on Rukia's form.

"What's going on? There is a system to how we run this hospital you know," Ishida replied, clicking away at the computer.

"Yea, I know and I'm sorry. It's just she was trying to rescue this lady and ended up getting pretty banged up, so I ended up helping them both out and-"

"You can't help every hurt little puppy Ichigo. You need to realize that we can't pick and choose who to help and when. You're lucky no one else needed to use this machine for today," Ishida berated. Ichigo sat fuming in his chair.

"She's not a lost puppy alright?! She's a human being who needed help," Ichigo replied with determination. Ever since he lost it that one time on the job, everyone was on his case. He accepted the fact that he couldn't help that mother out, that no matter what he did or how fast Tatsuki drove, she still would have died. He could help Rukia though, even though her condition might not have been severe, he could help her. As much as Ichigo wanted to lie to himself, he needed to help her, he wanted to get close to her. In many ways she was so much like him, with her thousands upon thousands of walls and facades. They were two sides of the same coin, and he just needed someone who could understand him. He saw it in her eyes when she clenched onto his arm, he saw the fear he once felt.

"I know she's not a puppy, it was just a metaphor. Anyway, I think you should go for it," Ishida replied.

"Go for what?" Ichigo asked.

"For her. You clearly have taken a liking to her. Admit it, you wasted you day off rescuing this girl because partially you thought she was gorgeous. You wanted just a few more minutes in her presence," Ishida replied, finally turning towards Ichigo as the computer started the scans.

"What!? Did not! I would have done this for anyone," the carrot top replied, not liking his friends insinuations. Sure, she had an ethereal beauty to her, but he wasn't some creeper. He felt compelled to help anyone, sure her felt just slightly more compelled with her, but that didn't mean anything. It didn't...right?

* * *

By the time the MRI scan was over, Rukia's mind was still hazy. The scan showed that her brain and skull were perfectly fine and there were no signs of clots or bleeding. Ichigo however, did concoct a mischievous plan. While she was in her unaware state, he might as well take a sample of that was exactly what he did. All the while, Rukia was murmuring nonsensical things and something about being really thirsty. He got her a glass of water but she spit out as soon as it touched her tongue. She looked at him like he had given her the vilest concoction on earth, as if he had given her poison.

She came out of her stupor quickly, to Ichigo's surprise. The haze had completely worn off and Rukia was throwing a fit.

"Don't think I hadn't realized what you did! Just because I was sedated, doesn't mean I don't know you took my blood! I told you not to!" she yelled. She looked terrified and stressed.

"Now, hold on. You were being stupid, and that rusty needle could infect you," he replied, trying to block her swings and kicks.

"I won't be infected you moron! You imbecile! You asinine pig!" she screamed. Her canines started to tingle again, and her eyes started to itch. This was a bad foreshadowing and she knew it, but all she wanted to do was just act on it. Her body was at it's limit and anger was fueling her instincts. Just then the door to the room she was in, opened up. A man with a cane walked in. He almost reminded them of House, had it not been for his blond hair, striped hat, and odd choice of attire.

"I thought I heard your voices. Ichigo I hope your not terrorizing our little Rukia here. And Rukia, I got a little worried there when you missed our meeting," the man replied.

"Urahara. You...You know her?!" Ichigo asked, clearly taken by surprise. Urahara was the hospital's administrator and constantly busy. He rarely took time off of his busy schedule to do anything. Whoever she was to him, she must be important.

"You know _him_?" Rukia asked.

"Of course. Rukia is the sister of one of my long time friends. And Ichigo here is my godson," he replied. "Now if you wouldn't mind Ichigo, I'd like to borrow Rukia for the rest of the day."

"Sure. I was getting sick of her anyway," Ichigo grinned, but not before he got a sharp jab to his ribs.

"I for one, hope I never have to see you again!" she replied, and walked out with Urahara.

"No need to thank me, I only wasted my day off saving your but," Ichigo murmured to no one in particular, eager to go back to the lab and get the blood test done. Her protests only added more fuel to his curiosity.

* * *

"You certainly had an eventful day Rukia. I can't see how you managed to keep your composure, seeing as how thirsty you are," Urahara replied, sitting down in his office.

"I know and I promise it won't happen again. Do you happen to have some juice on you right now?" Rukia asked. Her eyes glowed as his hand pulled out a bag of the blood with a nozzle at one end. He threw it at her and she caught it eagerly. Her desirous lips claimed the hole in the bag and began to drink in the red liquid. Slowly it began to quench the dry, burning landscape of her throat. Her eyes swam with amethyst and maroon hues until they finally settled into her naturally deep violet color. Her soft sigh permeated the air as a glow returned to her skin. All of her muscles relaxed and her eyes no longer strained to keep their natural color.

"I suppose you didn't even notice the cut on your neck?" Urahara asked. She gasped and touched her hand to the dried blood on her neck, the wound slowly resealed itself. She hadn't realized how weak she had actually become. That mugger must have cut her with that rusty knife. He could have done serious damage to her had the cuts been deeper.

"I didn't realize. I thought I could still recuperate quickly," she replied. She started to drink the blood again, practically inhaling it, sure it was cold, but a beggar can't be a chooser. No sooner than when her mouth touched the blood, the bag was completely empty with a few teasing droplets of blood stuck in the air pockets.

"Thanks for that, it was much needed. Um, he sort of managed to get ahold of my blood," Rukia said, keeping her eyes downcast. She knew she was going to be reprimanded for this, hopefully this news never reached _him_.

"You're lucky I came in there just in time. I'll take care of that matter for you. Do you realize what could have happened?" Urahara asked in a chiding tone. His usual playfulness was completely absent.

"I know... I just thought I could save that lady," she replied, grasping at straws for an excuse. She was sick of being reminded of what could happen. If she missed just one appointment for long enough, she could...she could become them. What everyone else didn't know was that she had first-hand experience when it came to growing too thirsty. She knew it all too well.

"Oh, apparently it has nothing to do with that Kurosaki boy, eh?" he asked teasingly, his old demeanor returning. Rukia looked up at him, shock written all over her face, as the pale color ebbed away to reveal blushing cheeks. Her jaw was hanging in the air as she stuttered, trying to deny what he had just said. "You can't fool me Rukia, I know you were looking for someone. I can only imagine it is him. Anyway, right now, that is not what matters to me, I need you to do me a favor," he replied, there was no question laced into his voice, only an order.

"I need you to look after Ichigo for a while," he authorized, his eyes stayed solid and unmoving. He was being completely genuine.

"But... Urahara-san, he is a human. We're not allowed to stay in contact with them too long, it could jeopardize our situation," Rukia replied, not wanting to ever come into contact with Ichigo again. Once was enough, she just wanted to see him, let alone talk to him.

"It wasn't asking. I can only trust you with this," he said seriously, just as quickly a smirk lit up his face as he continued,"seeing as how you both get along so well. Plus little Byakuya will never have to know of your private excursion. I just need you to watch over him for while, make sure nothing unusual occurs."

"Uh...okay. I guess, if you really need me to," she said, twisting her hands in anticipation. Something told her this would not end well. "What exactly do you mean by unusual though?"

"Oh you know...just make sure he is safe. I'm afraid there are more hollows out there, and seeing as how he is my godson, I'd like you to keep an eye on him." Rukia let out an inner groan. Babysitting a human being was not on her top ten list at all, especially not this carrot top. In truth maybe she wouldn't mind so much. He was the one anomaly in her agonizingly monotonous life.

"Will that be all?" she asked, hoping he didn't throw another curve ball at her.

"Yes, you may leave now. Thank you Rukia, you do not realize how grateful I am towards you," he replied solemnly, no curve ball there. She was sure that if she could, goosebumps would have raised along her skin. She had never heard his persona take such a turn, it was almost as if he feared something. Rukia brushed it off though, thinking it was only the overprotective godfather in him. Just as she was about to turn the door knob and walk out, his voice stopped her. She spoke too soon, 'no curve ball there my ass. What in the world was I thinking?'

"Oh wait! One more thing, I'd appreciate it if you kept this little conversation between the two of us," Urahara said, "now you may leave." With that he swiveled his chair around and began to stare out of his window. Rukia who was absolutely perplexed and tormented turned tail and walked out of there. Maybe causing her to go insane ran in both their DNA's. Now all she wanted was to go home to her lovely apartment and just lie down.

* * *

The clink of glass and thud of doors closing could be heard in one of the labs. Ichigo was rummaging through all the blood samples. He swore he put her sample somewhere in here. He had checked through ever tray three times. Where in the world had he put that little she devil's blood. She couldn't have stolen it. Even when she wasn't there, Rukia managed to drive him crazy.

Meanwhile, a certain blond haired administrator clutched onto a tube of a deep, maroon liquid. He placed it in his drawer and locked it, a grin etched upon his face. 'You've still got the touch Kisuke,' he thought to himself.

**PHEW! I finally got this scene written out! I tried to concentrate on all the Ichiruki scenes and convey their emotions although I might have gotten a little carried away. I wrote half of this in one day and it is now 1:39 A.M. For some reason I do all my best thinking at night, its when I wake up (Mwahahaha!) Sorry I'm just super excited that I finished this chapter!**

**I recently wrote an essay analyzing Walt Whitman's poems, so it got my creative juices flowing again. Hope you guys enjoy the chapter. Honestly I just edited it super fast, so I'm sure the quality could be better, and I'll come around to that one day. For now I hope this will do. **

**Review! I utterly and completely enjoy reading every single one of them!  
**


	4. What Lies Below

**Oh wow. I finally wrote a chapter and forced myself to finish it. Its summer! You all must hate me for prolonging the addition of another chapter. But here it is, as promised! I was going to make it longer but that would take a few more days and I felt really mean and horrible so here is the chapter. I got a job over the summer, so I won't do as much writing as I hoped for, but I'll write like crazy on the weekends. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**What Lies Below  
**

Rukia watched as scattered gray clouds congregated in the fall sky, blotching out the sun. She could immediately feel the pressure lift off of her chest. Every single artery and vein began to expand to let blood, if you could still call it that, pass through with ease. She looked below from her balcony, scanning the city streets. If she wanted to get to the meeting on time, she'd have to get a move on now before the crowds grew heavy. She always felt nervous around large groups of people. It was nerve wrecking when she had to weave her way through a foreign and absolutely delectable crowd.

She locked the door on her way to the fire escape exit. Her heels clanged against the metal. Making sure no one else was near, she gripped the rail and swung her lower body over. Gravity pulled on her body the best it could but she landed softly and kept on walking, not a single hiccup in her stride. She pulled the hood of her fall jacket over her head but the wind swept it back. Seeing as it was not worth the effort she decided to keep on walking. Every now and then she'd hear the faint lub-dup lub-dup of a human being in a shop as she'd pass by.

Rukia's mind started to wander towards more important matters. Matters pertaining to this surprise meeting. She rarely got called to the council and she would rather have it stay that way. Her feet moved swiftly over the sidewalk as she made her way towards a local pub. It's existence was mainly known to the vampire world. As for the few humans that every did wander into the place, they never stayed long. It was almost like they instinctively knew they walked into the lion's den.

She opened the door and the cacophony of hoots, cackles, and heavy rock and roll music pervaded the tranquil air. She was well known amongst the men there due to her ties to one of the council leaders. She took her time looking around at all the new faces. "Too many," she thought, upon seeing how many new recruits they had gotten. Her gaze fell upon vermilion locks of hair and for a second her eyes slightly enlarged in surprise. She stood stock still in shock, not knowing for how long. The chink of glasses brought her out of her reverie. She looked around looking for the back door and practically sped walk towards it before her acquaintance could catch sight of her. Right now the last thing she needed was to get another lecture from him. Their last run in hadn't ended on a good note.

Unfortunately the red headed male caught sight of her back before it disappeared into the back section of the pub. "Where are you going?", one of his friends called out to him as he left without a word and made way after her, determined to get at least one word in with her. How long had it been since he'd seen her?

He almost made it to the door before a hand grabbed his arm and jerked him back. "Don't follow her," a bald man replied, eyes diverted to the door beyond Renji. It felt like centuries, maybe it had been. Years turned to days and days seemed like minutes to him. But since the last talk he had had with Rukia, an odd feeling had been brewing deep inside. He thought it was anger first, then disdain, but he came to realize he just missed her soothing company. In her company her felt... he felt just about alive and his sense of time returned to their normal ticks. He needed to talk to her. He needed things to go back to what it was. Back to Renji and Rukia.

"I... I have to at least try. I need her to know that...well..." Renji stuttered, not knowing exactly what he wanted to say.

"What? That you love her? You tried before remember? You guys are still young compared to the rest of us, just let her sort her thoughts out first. I know this is hard for you, but if she loves you, she'll come to you. Forcing her will just push her away like last time," the man named Ikakku replied. He didn't look that smart from afar, but he was wiser and far stronger than he let on.

"Maybe your right. I just have this feeling she's going to slip away completely one day. I can't let that happen..." Renji whispered almost to himself. Before Ikkaku could give him another lecture, he bought the guys another round of drinks. He kept a wary eye on the entrance to the passages and a certain human who entered.

* * *

Unknown to the raven haired vampiress, a paramedic had been tracking her the whole time. He tugged the two flaps of his pea coat closer together as the chilly wind blew past his face. Ichigo had decided to catch up on some shopping; his refrigerator was almost bare now. Ishida had forced him to take another break, saying something about things being more peaceful without him there. The city was pretty big, despite living there since he was little, there were always places he never explored. He decided to go into the less occupied part of town with the small deserted shops.

No sooner had he turned the corner, he saw a familiar figure elegantly stride out of the ally. What was it with her and alleyways; didn't she know by now how dangerous they could be? Remembering the incident with her missing blood sample, he began to follow her. At first he was going to confront her but his curiosity got the better of him and he chose to follow her instead. He'd made up his mind on unwrapping the little mystery that she was. Plus she had a knack for getting into trouble; he'd just follow her to make sure she kept out of deep water. Yea, that was the reason.

He dug a gray beanie out of his coat pocket to conceal his bright orange which stood out against the stark asphalt and concrete of the city. He kept following her into some of the less known parts of town. For someone so small, she moved incredibly fast. Every now and then he would have to hide in the entrances of shops to escape her scanning eyes. Her behavior was suspicious, especially as she kept walking into the darker parts of town. He finally saw her walk into a bar. He never even knew there was a bar here, the entrance was in the middle of an alley and there were no neon lights or signs of any kind. Is she a drug dealer? A thousand thoughts popped into his head. It would make complete sense now because if she was doing drugs, no way would she have wanted her blood tested.

Cautiously he followed her lithe form into the grungy atmosphere of the bar. As soon as he walked in he could feel a thousand eyes watching him like a hawk. He hadn't expected a welcoming party, after all this was a bar, but the men in there were looking at him like he slept with their sisters. He made his way to the bar and sat down on one of the looked so out of place among the raunchy atmosphere of her surroundings. His brows furrowed in confusion when he saw her body go rigid and tense. He spun around in his seat quickly and hung his head low in order to hide from Rukia's seeking eyes. From the corner of his eye he saw her as she wove her way in between tables. His mind flip flopped on the thought of following her through the back, afraid he'd get caught.

He took a moment assess his surroundings. No matter where he looked everyone seemed to have the same exact drink. What had he gotten himself into?

"Can I get you something?" a melodious voice interrupted him. It had a certain tinkle to it. He almost choked on his tongue when he turned around to look at the bartender who owned that voice. Her copper hair framed her pale face and icy blue eyes. She gave him the most charming yet slightly amiss smile. Somewhere behind that beautiful smile, he felt, laid a seductress of a women.

"Uh sure. Can I get what he's having?" Ichigo asked, pointing to the man three feet away, holding a blood-red drink.

"Oh my, I don't think you'd like that very much mister. I'm afraid its not for the faint of heart," she replied with the same smile. That last comment hit a nerve, faint of heart? Really?

"Well I'm sure I can-"

"Oy Ran! Can I get another round of," he paused when he saw Ichigo ",bloody Marys?" yelled a man with hair the shade of carnelian. He glared at Ichigo for a while before leaving with jugs of what seemed to be red liquor. This bar was really rubbing Ichigo in the wrong way. Why in the world was everyone having bloody Marys, and why would he not be able to handle it?!

"Oops, sorry we're all out now hun. Ha ha," she replied before sashaying away. He gave up, not wanting to deal with the strawberry blonde, and decided to go after Rukia once again. He definitely did not liking the vibe he got from this place. What in the world was she doing getting mixed up in this world? A bunch of images from tv shows and the like slapped him in the face and reminded him about what happens to girls who get involved in these kinds of dealings. Rukia seemed to be known by all of them, almost revered.

Just then he heard two men at the bar whispering in hushed voices. "Isn't that the Kuchiki girl?"

"Yup, she even looks like him a bit, but that wouldn't stop me from lying down with her," the other one piped in, a perverse glow in his eyes.

"I wouldn't want to even think of what he would do to you," the other man chuckled, taking another swig of his drink.

"What's he going to do. It's not like he can kill me."

"He won't kill you but he'll make sure you die a thousand painful deaths. Maybe starve you. I wouldn't want to be at the mercy of his weapon. Anyway I heard the Kuchiki girl is in trouble with the big guys."

Ichigo's blood was boiling, restraining himself from reaching over and killing the perverted son of a bitch in a thousand ways himself. Before he could even hear another word of their conversation, he took off. All he could think of was how stupid this girl was. God knows what they did to people who got "in trouble," but he sure as heck was not going to sit around and wait let her get herself killed. Whatever goes on here must go deeper than he imagined. What on earth would cause her to get mixed up with drugs and men with weapons? He made his way across the hostile crowd, not caring about how bad this could turn out for him.

Renji's eyes stayed glued and his body went rigid. This is was an odd human; his scent was weaker than normal humans. Whoever this guy was, he was certainly interested in Rukia. From the looks of it, he was probably tracking her. Leave it to her to get herself a human pet. Is this what she did in her spare time? The thought was infuriating. When he saw the human go for the back door, he shot out of his chair. The voices at his table went hushed, wary of what was going through his mind. Renji was known to be act before thinking, almost blowing their organizations cover countless times. The minute Ichigo walked through the door and descended the staircase after her, Renji sped after him. Ikkaku got up and followed Renji, not liking a human nosing around underground.

The sight that met Ichigo was remarkable. There was a maze of underground passages underneath the bar. Did the city even know about this? He didn't have single clue in the world as to where to go. He decided to keep going straight till he hit a dead end. All hope of finding Rukia was probably gone by now, so he might as well find out where these tunnels led to. There could certainly be no harm in that or so he thought. After a minute or two he heard furious steps get nearer and nearer to him. The reality of the situation he was in caught up with him fast. He turned around and were met with two furious pairs of eyes. One of the men was the red head with strange tribal tattoos he saw earlier, and the other was a bald man.

"What are you doing down here? This place is off limits," the bald man spoke, arms crossed over his chest.

"I need to find someone. Her name is Rukia, could you-," Ichigo replied with an equally hard voice, although his innards were quaking.

"Rukia! What the fuck do you want with her?" the red head demanded, his eyes slowly turning a shade of red. The mere fact that this...this..._human_ knew her real name, made him angry enough to kill. Ichigo blinked his eyes repeatedly, not knowing if the light was playing tricks on him. "Renji!" the bald man hissed as he jabbed his friend in the arm as if to calm the red head down.

"I'm afraid you can't see her-"the bald one started in.

"EVER! You stay away from her alright," Renji barked. A vein pulsed on Ichigo's forehead, having enough crap from the man named Renji.

"Who the fuck are you to tell me that? She's not your whore. I can go find whoever the hell I want," Ichigo replied before turning around and striding away. He didn't even make it three steps before being jerked back by the two men. He felt a sharp jab to the ribs and another one to the head, knocking him out.

The next thing Ichigo new, he was face down on the grimy gravel that lined the alleyway. He slowly picked himself, clutching his ribs and head in pain. Sneaky little bastards took him from behind. Well they had another thing coming if they thought that would stop him. It only added more fuel to his fire, convincing him to stay and wait for her to come out. He supported his back against the wall across from the small pub, face contorted into a monstrous scowl.

* * *

Deep below in an underground chamber, thirteen seats were set up, of which only three were filled. An old man sat at the center, his face riddled with wrinkles. Yamamoto was the most venerated of all the elders. Rukia slowly approached the three figures, one of which caused her to stand up rigidly. Her "brother" was there to the right of the old man. His face remained in its usual disposition, cold and unemotional. She could breathe more easily upon seeing her mentor, a white haired man named Ukitake. She stood in front of them and waited for the old man to address her.

"Kuchiki Rukia," he replied in a deep throaty voice, it was a presence all on its own.

"Yes. You requested my presence?" she replied. Cringing at how submissive and weak she must have sounded to her brother.

"We asked you here to inform you that as of now, you are set to be stationed here in Karakura town," Ukitake responded, his reassuring smile still set in its permanent place.

"B-" she began before her voice withered away under her brother's glare. The force of his menacing stare left her mentally whipped countless times.

"Reports and sightings of the turned have grown to abnormally high levels. You have showed much progress in your field, therefore, with the permission of Ukitake, we have decided to promote you a seat and station you here," Yamamoto replied. Rukia had to repress any exaltation she felt towards her promotion. Composure was the key here. Then it hit her, Renji was stationed here too.

"However," Yamamoto's voice interrupted," it has been the wish of Kuhiki Byakuya for you to not participate in the series of routine cleanses that are being planned for this area. I decided to leave the choice to you. Kuchiki Rukia. Do you accept the position of Second Lieutenant along with the mission given to you when you are stationed here?"

The whole room was silent. She sought out her mentor's eyes, but they were downcast. If her heart could beat, it would be going a thousand miles per hour and eventually given out. She could feel the immense pressure from her brother. Her eyes slowly moved to meet his gaze. She caught a glimpse of his eyes expression before she reflexively looked anywhere but at him. She felt the stinging aftershock of what she could only describe as a slap. He was willing her to say no and it was almost working. She took in a deep breath, her hands fisted once again. "You can do this Rukia. Just don't look at him. You've been working for this your whole life. Just say..."

"Yes," Rukia spoke, in the most confident voice she could muster.

"Then it is settled. You may leave. I advise you to not miss anymore appointments while you are on the job," the old man replied. It was ironic that this was one occupation that required drinking on the job. "You are dismissed."

As soon as the doors to the room shut, she let out whatever breath she had left. Her back slid down the wall and she crumbled to her knees. "What did I just do?! I just defied Byakuya Kuchiki," she thought to herself. Before she could wallow in anymore of her terror, a familiar voice cut through the air. "Of all the things, why now?" she sighed. Quickly picking herself up, ashamed of the state in which Renji had found her.

"Kuchiki Rukia," he replied, trying to keep the delight out of his voice. He was supposed to be angry at her.

"What do you want Renji? And just a warning, I'm really not in the mood for anymore of your _issues_," she sneered, not even meaning to.

"Looks like we're going to be stationed here together huh?" he replied, maybe he shouldn't bring up the human until later. He needed to get on her good side first.

"How...wait, am I serving under you?!" she exclaimed. How on earth did she forget the fact that Renji was the first Lieutenant. She should have listened to Byakuya and just stayed put.

"Of course. You don't have to make that face you know!" Renji yelled upon seeing the expression on her face.

"What face?" she replied, knowing where this conversation was going to go.

"You could look a little happier to see me you know. I've...I've missed you," he whispered, looking more and more like a little boy.

"I'm sorry. I guess... I guess I've missed you too," she replied pulling on a smile for him. She hated it when he looked at her that way. She wanted to be that girl for him. She honestly tried but she just wasn't that happy go lucky girl anymore.

Renji on the other hand decided to ignore the whole "I guess" part of her reply. Rukia missed him; she always had a hard time opening up.

"Look, can we talk. I think there is something you should know about," Renji said in a tone that implied this wasn't exactly a request.

**You'll find out what he wants to tell her in the next chapter. I do apologize again. I wrote large sections of this chapter every time you guys reviewed. It really did force me to start writing and not be so lazy with my free time. I know there wasn't Ichiruki interaction but the next will be full blown in it! I'm super excited actually. So hopefully the mistakes weren't so bad it made you cringe because I didn't proofread yet. **

**Read and Review. Thank you so much for all your support, it really get the ball rolling.  
**


	5. Being Stalked and Trying To Follow

**I wrote another chapter! This chapter kind of wrote itself seeing as how I wrote in the 2 days I had free. I was listening to Jeff Buckley's song Grace while writing this. He's amazing! So I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks so much for all the reviews from before, they were incredibly nice!**

**meh-an : I didn't know where to contact you at, but here's the chapter and thanks!**

**solar moon, XxdaniXx, and star133: Thanks a bunch! Sorry for all the delays but here it is! Hope I updated quicker than before. So without further ado, here is the next chapter. Have at it!  
**

**Being Stalked and Trying To Follow  
**

Ichigo's head kept lolling to one side as he started to nod off. He pulled back his sleeve to look at the watch on his wrist. He donned a bewildered expression at seeing that it had only been an hour. It felt like he had been waiting for more than a couple of hours. He lazily drew circles into the dirt encrusted ground with his right shoe. "How much longer is she going to take?" he whispered into the chilly air, not expecting a reply back.

All of a sudden the door in the alleyway of the bar opened up with a loud bang. His body shot up right and he stumbled on his way to hide behind a garbage dumpster. "Speak of the devil," he whispered to himself, as he peered out the side at a familiar body walking out of the bar. Her lithe form stepped onto the ground that clashed with her immaculate look. As soon as she began turning in Ichigo's direction, he flattened himself against the graffiti covered side of the dumpster. As the clack of her heels grew louder and louder, Ichigo crawled into the corner where the brick wall met the metal box holding the compost heap. His eyes almost rolled back in his head at the strong pungent smell that permeated the air. His heart was beating so loud and hard that he was afraid it might give him away. When she finally passed him, with no look back, he let out his breath in a barely audible sigh. No sooner had she began turning around the corner, he rose from his crouched position and took off after her.

He followed at a safe distance, struggling at points to not loose her. Her path of travel was composed of a lot of turns and cutting through stores and back alleys. He almost lost her when she turned into a corner that he never knew had existed. "Thank god I wore the pumas today," Ichigo thought as he chased after her, while trying to not make a sound. He kept following the sound her feet made against the pavement. She then turned into another part of town he didn't recognize, entering a thrift store. Her petite body was well hidden among the tall racks of clothing and different items being sold for charity. He got on his tip toes and found her head of onyx hair bob out the back entrance. He kept following her, not sure where she was going, but knowing that there was no going back now. After all, whether he wanted to admit it or not, he was utterly and completely _lost_, and a without a phone in sight at that. Rukia it seemed knew these unfamiliar streets like they were her own home.

He was slightly fraught with trying to catch up to her fast pace, while not obviously trailing her. They finally made it out of the maze of alleys and arrived at a main street lined with stores on either side. Much to his dismay, even this area was completely alien to him. He looked to his left, then right when he found her turning another corner a few blocks down. He took off running before Rukia eluded him. Ichigo made a right into a dead end alley. For a minute a flash of that disdainful memory from his childhood made its way to the forefront of his mind, but he blinked it away. His eyebrows creased together in confusion. His hands were on his hips, creating a dip in between his shoulder blades. His head hung low, taking in gulps of air, trying to orientate himself with the situation. Shaking his head, as if it would clear his mind, he turned back around to try and find a friendly face with a phone. One thing was for sure, he'd never follow Rukia again, at least until he was familiarized with every inch of Karakura.

He started walking towards the opening of the alley and took a left turn, deciding to try and go back the way he came. On his third step a familiar voice rang out through the dissonantly silent air.

"What are you doing here Ichigo?" Rukia's angry voice called out from behind him.

"Shit!" he hissed out, eyes clenched shut, and head turned up in exasperation. How the hell did she get there, he swore he saw her turn into the alley. He slowly turned around and his eyes reverted to her irate face.

"I don't think shit is an answer, unless you came here to take one. So do tell, why the hell are you following me?!" she demanded once again. Her body was leaning against the façade of one of the old shops, hands crossed over her chest.

Deciding to be smart, Ichigo responded with, "I could ask you the same exact thing."

"Oh don't even start with me Kurosaki! What in the world possessed you to have the ludicrous idea to stalk me?" she replied with venom. Her body jolted forward, almost forcing Ichigo to take a step back, but his pride wouldn't let him show how intimidated he was.

"Oh I don't know, your inhabiting the alleys of Karakura, you going to strange bars; oh and by the way, your blood sample is missing. So what exactly did you expect me to think?" he asked, leaning his face in closer to hers.

Her eyebrows furrowed enough to match the scowl engraved into Ichigo's face. "You. Are. INSANE! Do you know how stupid it was for you to follow me? You could have gotten killed," or worse, was what she wanted to tack onto the end. If he had gotten turned by anyone in that pub, she would have never forgiven herself. Not after all those years of protecting him, but now was not the time to think about that.

"And what about you, miss indestructible? As far as I'm concerned you need just as much protection, if not more!" he replied, towering over her as if to assert his dominance.

"You just don't get it! They won't touch me, and you're far out of your bounds to decide where I'm safe or not. Just leave me alone!" she threw back at him, poking him in the chest after each word in the last sentence.

He winced inwardly, the gall this girl had. Somewhere far back in the confines of his mind, it was almost attractive the way she held herself. He would never consciously admit to it though, no, he could never fall for the likes of this girl. She was just an annoying brat he felt compelled to help.

She awkwardly brushed her should into his arm, being just shy of reaching his shoulder. She sauntered away with tense shoulders that looked like they were permanently set that way.

"No!" Ichigo said in a rigid tone with his back still to her. She stopped mid stride and slowly looked over her shoulder at her stalker. "What did you say…_boy_?" She had a large mental grin from imagining the vein popping on his forehead.

Humph, two could play this game. "You need help pipsqueak! There are places you can go to you know. Some rehabs have great facilities." He finally turned around to see the havoc his words wreaked on her. The spectrum of emotions that ran across her face went by so fast he barely knew what was coming.

"P-pipsqueak?" she sputtered with disdain. "Rehab? What! The nerve of you to insinuate such an idea!" she roared, eyes aglow with fury. But Ichigo just plastered a huge smirk on his face and took a few steps towards her. By this point a few dozen people had stepped out to witness the fight that was being played out. Rukia was too engrossed to notice.

"Well you being a druggie explains a lot, doesn't it? The whole fear of blood tests and stuff," he said, keeping just out punching, choking, or kicking reach.

"You're a madcap," she seethed out. With a grunt she turned around to keep walking; she needed to end this right now before more people noticed her.

"So how do you explain the missing blood?" Ichigo yells behind her, keeping pace.

"Carelessness!" she calls out over her back. She's drawing more and more attention to herself than she'd like.

"I'll keep following you!" he stubbornly replied, chasing after her.

"Would you stop causing a scene!?" she yells abruptly turning around only to have the large, heavy figure of Ichigo smash into her. Her back took the brunt of the fall, but she barely felt the pain. "Get off me you buffoon!"

He slowly got up and offered her his hand, which she grudgingly took. They both took a look around, and Ichigo's hand went straight to the back of his neck, scratching it in embarrassment. Rukia on the other hand blanched when she saw all the eyes they had attracted.

"I think you did a fine job of creating a scene on your own," Ichigo replied, not making eye contact but still holding that annoying smirk. "Ungh," he let out when Rukia's solid fist met with his gut. She turned around to once again try to evade him, and his endearingly stupid face. Wait, endearing? No, no… he had an unattractive asinine face. And his hair, oh his hair! It was the color of the sun! She hated the sun, stupid sun colored hair.

* * *

Almost an hour later, Rukia was at the end of her limit. The crowd had dissipated by now. The sun wasn't going to stay out much longer and she needed to have Ichigo gone by then, for safety's sake. This boy had the stubbornness of a rhino, he just kept on charging no matter how dangerous it could get. He had been walking beside her, asking her a question every now and then to break the silence.

"So uh...how did you know I was following you?" Ichigo asked timorously.

"A little birdie told me, your not as good as you think." she replied. Truth be told, she honestly hadn't sensed him until she left the bar and was told be more aware of her surroundings.

_"What do you need to tell me Renji?" she asked, following him into a closed off room on the second floor of the building. All the windows were covered by metal sheets that were bolted down, and recess lights lit up the room in a soft glow.  
_

_"What the hell do you think your doing with that runt?" Renji bellowed at her. Shock was written all over her face, as she sat back in a seat, which soon turned to anger._

_"I suggest you don't take that tone with me!" she exclaimed._

_"Then tell me why your little human **pet** is following you around!" he demanded, eyes starting to glow red._

_"What? Wait... did he have orange hair?" she asked, voice shaking in fear._

_"Yup. You know how much trouble you can get him into. Let alone how much trouble you can get into! He followed you into the damn tunnels Rukia," he replied, voice lowering to a more suitable level. Rukia lowered her head into her hands, mentally berating herself for being so unaware._

_"I... I didn't even notice him. Oh god, tell me you didn't kill him Renji!" she replied, eyes starting to mix with a scarlet color. She got up from her seat, hands fisted, ready to beat the hell out of the man in front of her._

_Renji's eyes took on a pained look, like he had been burned by her. His eyes drew down to where her fists were. "Would you hit me? For him?" he asked, agonized by an image of her by that **human's** side._

_Her body immediately lost all its tenseness. Why did she always manage to hurt him? She had forgotten how volatile his emotions could be. He was still developing from the turning process, never quite in full control of his emotions. She took a few steps towards him and let her hands rise to cup his face._

_"He's not my pet Renji. You know how frivolous humans can be, curiosity gets the better of their sense of safety," she said. "He just helped me out of a tough spot. I'll get him off my back."_

_His hands grasped her dainty arms. "I don't want you to have anymore contact with him. This is an order," he replied, ready for the backlash he'd get from her. He knew her too well to know how she didn't like being ordered around by him. "This is for your sake Rukia. We have strict rules against this. I don't want you getting hurt."_

_"Don't treat me like a child. I know the rules, I've lived with them for a while now haven't I?" she replied, an effigy of Byakuya Kuchiki entered her mind, and an agonizing pain rattled the cages of a certain memory she kept locked away._

_"I know you better than anyone Rukia. You still have a soft spot for them. You long for that part of your life back. We all do! But if you keep seeing him, and he finds out more than about the tunnels. You'll take away his life too," he said, stopping her hand on the doorknob._

_"I know. I'll get rid of him," she replied, her voice strained. A large hand landed on her shoulder and turned her around, but her head still faced the ground. Muscular, familiar arms enveloped her petite body. Renji's hands slowly rubbed her back, trying to give as much comfort to her tired soul. "I'm sorry," he whispered into her soft hair, landing a gentle kiss there. Her hands clenched onto his shirt, and she nestled her head closer into his chest, yearning to hear that strong lud-up of his heart.  
_

"You mean a little red cockatoo head?" acidity laced into Ichigo's words, shaking her from her memory.

"You...hahaha... You met Renji?" she asked, a little terrified, but the nickname made her crack up. She'd have to run that by Renji and see how he reacts. Her long time friend was not known for his kindness towards humans, nor any man that was stalking her.

"If you mean that red headed bastard, then yeah. We had a little run in," he replied. She winced at the thought of the two in the same room, constantly butting heads.

"Do me a favor and go the other way next time you see him," she commanded. She had a feeling Renji wouldn't be so nice the next time he laid eyes on Ichigo.

"Psh, I can take him on. The sneaky bastard took a cheap shot while I had my back turned," Ichigo replied, flustered at the thought of being taken down by that asshole. Rukia on the other hand was a little petrified.

"He hit you!? Please Ichigo! Just don't come near him again!" she practically pleaded this time, her hand pulled on his upper arm to make sure he go the point.

"Alright, alright," he replied upon seeing how distressed she was. Silence once again ensued upon them, dominating another half an hour of their walk. Rukia tried running, she tried losing him in the maze of alleys, but she had no luck. He kept at her heels, and she wasn't about to use up any more of her energy, she needed more blood. Walking in the sun had started to dehydrate her of all her red fluids.

"You're not going to stop following me, are you?" Rukia asked sullenly.

"Nope," he simply replied. A grin to rival all others was set on his face.

"What will it take for you to leave me alone?" she asks, slightly perturbed that she was actually giving in to his antics.

She could practically feel the bright smile radiate off of his face for getting his way. "Just give me chance to persuade you."

"About?" she asked, clearly baffled. What on earth did he want to convince her to do.

"Rehab. It's not okay for you to be doing this to yourself. Those so called buddies back there, they don't really care about you," he replied, remembering the two imbeciles at the bar.

She let out a loud sigh, whether in anger or what else, he didn't know. "I'm not a fucking druggie! When will you get that through your thick skull? And don't you dare talk about those guys back there not caring. You have no idea who I am, and who they are!" she yelled back in frustration.

Great, she's angry again, he thought to himself.

"Please, just hear me out okay," he said, laced with genuine concern. Clearly at shock in the change in his demeanor, she turned to her right to look at him, but he was nowhere in sight. He had stopped in his tracks behind her, his body language practically pleading with her. She turned her head upwards and closed her eyes, murmuring something to herself.

"Fine, but you have to hear me out too," she replied, making eye contact again, her violet eyes jolting him into agreeing.

"Yeah, okay. Want to go somewhere to talk about it first, I'm sort of hungry" he asked, his stomach agreeing with him, which caused his cheeks to take on a tint of pink. Rukia smiled at the image, she made a mental note to try and get him to blush more. "Wait, no, I'm not going to see him anymore. Just one more time and we'll never see each other," Rukia thought to herself.

"Not tonight okay, I have something to attend to first," she gave him a soft smile. The sun was getting closer and closer to the horizon. If he didn't leave soon, there was no telling what could happen in the dark. She was a magnet in the dark, and with the activity in this area, he needed to get as far away as possible from her.

He gave her an apprehensive look. He wasn't about to let her brush him off her shoulders and then never see each other again. He didn't mean "see each other" see each other, but… God, what was happening to him. She wasn't good for his brain, planting all kinds of thoughts he didn't want to have about her.

Upon seeing his doubtful look, she growled low in her throat. "I don't go back on my word Kurosaki. I promise," she said, but the look on his face still didn't change, and his arms crossed over his chest. She grunted and her left hand reached for a ring on her right ring-finger. He never noticed but it was an elegant ring with a deep red gemstone.

"Here, when we meet, you can give it back to me," she said, hand outstretched towards him with the ring in the center of her palm. Something ached inside at parting with the ring, she hadn't taken it off in, she couldn't even remember. He reached out and took it with the greatest care in the world. His fingers slowly wrapped around it like it was made of snow. "I'll contact you later," and with that, she turned and started to walk off, but she could hear him follow her still.

"Ugh, would you happen to know the way back to the main streets?" he asked sheepishly.

With a slight chuckle, she turned around and pointed behind him. "Just keep going straight down that way and when you hit a dead end, take a right and you'll be by the main road. I just led you in circles anyway," she replied with a sadistic smile on her face. She liked his company, as much as she hated to admit it. She hadn't laughed, smiled, or fought this much in a while.

Ichigo growled out a thanks and took off in the opposite direction as her, depositing her ring in his inner coat pocket.

"Oh, hey! The name's Ichi…go," he called, turning around to find her nowhere in sight. He scratched his head in perplexity; this girl was driving him insane. Upon remembering the feel of her hand, a smile slowly etched its way onto his face; it was soft enough to mimic a rose petal. The little midget certainly was one to leave impressions.

He would see her again, even if he had to hunt down crazy old Urahara.

**Good ol' Urahara, he always knows where everyone is. I really had fun having Rukia chased around town. Poor Renji though, I had to give him some lovin' in this chapter. **

**So about Rukia's ring, I was going to describe it but I want to do it justice, and I tried to go find rings online. So there is poll on which one you like best. I myself am leaning towards the one that is antique like, especially when I saw all the angles. **

**So if you loved the chapter do click on the button below and review so I know this isn't a load of garbage. I'll be waiting here, twiddling my thumbs in apprehension!  
**


	6. First Night on the Job

**This was another late night chapter! Maybe I'm like part vampire or something because I think my best work just comes out at night. I was not looking forward to writing this chapter but I was pleasantly surprised by how easily it flowed out. I still haven't hard core edited it, but I'm lazy. It's summer, can you really blame me? **

**Thanks for all the lovely reviews from the last chapter. I'm absolutely thrilled whenever I receive one. It's like getting a hallmark card or a letter in the mail from someone. Anywho, this is mainly Rukia's part of the story. I wanted to give you guys a smidgen of what he organization actually does. Enjoy guys!**

* * *

**First Night on the Job**

The door to an empty house opened up. A worn down Ichigo walked in, throwing his keys onto the door side table. He kicked his shoes off nonchalantly. The stuffed plastic bags dropped out of his hands onto the wooden floor, he was too tired to put them away right now. His pea coat soon followed with a plop to the ground forgetting about the precious object that lay inside.

The hollow fireplace stared at him as he walked into the living room. He found his house too cold sometimes. Sure he had a lovely fireplace to settle down in front of. The warmth never quite reached him though, at least not in the places that mattered. It was like having an itch just beneath the skin and he couldn't quite seem to get to it. Ichigo never divulged this to anyone but sometimes he longed for someone to share his house with. He hated sleeping in an empty bed every night. He hated cooking delectable cuisines for only one person. He hated coming home after an unsuccessful day at work and not having the comforting arms of a loved one. God he sounded like such a girl right now. When did he start caring about this? He did fine on his own so far. He sighed and shoved his depressing thoughts to the back of his head and filed it away.

It was a hard days worth of work. He ended up chasing that suicidal girl around all day, then returned home empty handed with no groceries to fill his refrigerator with. So he ended up having to run back all the way into town before any of the shops closed down. He flopped down on his lazy boy love seat releasing a sigh. The leather cushions let out a plush of air and formed its shape to his body. The room was lighted by the warm glow of one light stand. His hand plucked his beanie off his head, leaving mussed up hair in its wake. He let out a loud, annoyed groan. He needed to get up early for work tomorrow. Another day struggling to keep someone alive and struggling to keep everyone together, while he was falling apart on the inside.

His eyelids slowly slipped shut, and his breathing got a little shallower. Before he knew it, Ichigo was out like a baby, arms and legs strewn everywhere. His nightmare started to slowly pick up from where it ended. That devilish figure stood before him once again. That monstrous murderer was in front of him. His head whipped from side to side and his hands clenched the throw pillows mistaking them for the sleeve of his dead mother. A painful whimper left his lips. He made an oath that day that he'd kill her if he ever came face to face with the little wench. Damn if he didn't come through on his end.

* * *

Rukia was home before she knew it, a light skip to her step, although it didn't show on her face. That was a number one no no. The face is the number one giveaway to what gears are shifting in a person's head. So she fortified that number one weakness into her number one wall. Her best feature if she had to pick one, was keeping her cards a secret and only showing the ones that she wanted to.

She went into her kitchen and opened up the fridge. A number of regular household staples were stuffed onto the shelves. She gracefully grabbed the whole tray out, barely shaking or dropped a singly object, and placed it on the granite island behind her. What anyone would fail to notice was the small latch set into the back of the fridge and the near invisible seam that ran along a large portion. She pulled on the latch, a soft hiss was expelled and the door swung open. Inside, safely stowed away from any human's eyes was a secret compartment filled with blood bags. She could immediately feel the draw towards those desired objects. Her hand reached in shakily and grabbed one bag and quickly closed the secret door before she was tempted to devour the rest in one going. When one became 'thirsty,' they became practically gluttonous. A quality Rukia struggled to contain and tame. She replaced the shelve and closed the refrigerator door. Grabbing the bag of blood, she took a seat in front of her flat screen television. She settled down onto her one seater. Feet hanging over one arm of the sofa and head against the other arm.

She held the bag to her mouth with her right hand and started to drink while her other hand turned the television on. The voice of Chuck the 10 o'clock news anchor came on while the TV came out of its black haze. Rukia let out an involuntary moan as the delectable juice caressed her parched throat and brought back a little life in her. Standing in the bloody sun all day and then having to run from Ichigo used up too much of her energy. The moron should have stayed away from her if he knew what was good for him.

Her attention reverted back to the blood bag and the news. She never really watched any shows in her spare time, but the noise helped drown out the silence and emptiness of every place she inhabited. Music was another thing that kept her mind preoccupied and at ease.

After a few more minutes the bag was empty and laid on the coffee table in front of her. She hated the first few moments after drinking. She always felt like some pathetic addict who just had their fill. She let out a soft snort. What would Ichigo think now? To some extent he was right, and a part of her wished he was. She would give anything to be able to quit drinking. To quit this lifestyle all together. It almost made her laugh, the sight of a place where vamps went to so they could stop drinking and go cold turkey. No more drinking blood. No more guilt. Just a sense of normality.

She always had a spark of hope that maybe one day she could wake up and no longer feel guilty. Whenever she was by Ichigo, her guilt just increased tenfold. What she had done to him, it was… tragic, unintentional but tragic all the same. She was so careless that night. The memories dredged up all the guilt she tried to keep locked away in her mental suitcase. She hated being reminded of what she did to him, but every time she looked at his face, it became harder to keep that suitcase closed. It was just another reminder. She took away his mother for heavens sake! Which was just another reason to add to her list of why she should stay away from him.

She dragged her hand across her face in anger. "Why did I set up plans to see him again? What in the world possessed me to do something so careless? Stupid Ichigo and his stupid puppy dog eyes. His stupid puppy dog face. His stupi-", just then the anchorman's voice cut through her rant.

"This just in, another person found dead in the streets of Karakura. This is the seventh person found murdered. Officials are telling us that the ongoing case is going to stay confidential for the time being. The body was found on the corner of Montgomery and Glenview. The victim was male and in his early twenties." Rukia shot up from her lazy position, swinging her legs onto the ground, and stood erect watching the TV. Her lungs were at a standstill, along with her heart desperately wanting to pump the fresh blood to the rest of her body. The only and first thought that came to mind was Ichigo. It couldn't be, it just, it couldn't be! A foreign burn started to form behind her eyes and her throat started to constrict. Her fingers clutched the arm of the sofa so hard she almost ripped it. A soft whimper left her trembling lips upon seeing a body being wheeled away. She had heard of these mass murders taking place recently, but to think she brought him into this mess. Why didn't he just stay away from her?

"I've just gotten confirmation that the victim's name was Yoshino Soma. Seen leaving a bar last night with an unidentified person. If anyone has more information the police would like you to call..." Rukia let a long sigh of relief and pitched back into the seat. She took a long breath through the nose, then let it out through the mouth. She did this for several minutes as she tried to calm her nerves. Her hand was now clutching her shirt, and was immediately filled with a need to see Ichigo. She should have made sure he safely reached home. Wait no, she shoudn't want to see him. That was the opposite of what needed to happen. Whatever was going on, it was getting bigger and bigger. She'd have to protect him better, it was the least she owed him after what she did. It was the least Rukia owed his mother.

Rukia jerked when her phone went off. She let the phone ring two times, trying to compose herself, then grabbed the phone in front of her and answered.

"Turn the news on," came Renji's voice, all business.

"I saw. It was them wasn't it. The hollows?" Rukia answered, voice still a little shaken.

"I'll fill you in later. But you need to report to the main station right now. We've got work," he replied, ending the call.

She grabbed the phone and descended into the alley by her apartment once again. She looked around for a second before she remembered where the man hole was. She walked over to the dumpster and pushed it to the side with ease. Rukia entered the manhole into another set of tunnels. Cobwebs that lined the underground passages were numerous, and the walls had begun to rust. The deeper she went the better the surroundings became. She finally came to a closed off part of the tunnel where a vault like door blocked her path. Ordinarily opening the door and closing it would have taken at least two strong human men, but Rukia gripped the handles tight and turned it in a counterclockwise motion until she heard the loud click. Past the door, the area took on a completely different appearance. The ceiling had recess lights, not leaving a dark spot in sight, except for her own shadow. The walls were titanium and felt icy to the touch. A lifeless place, no bugs or cobwebs in sight. Even they knew when danger was lurking.

At the end of the tunnel was a rectangular slab of darkness; the threshold to where all the 'monsters' stood waiting. She entered and kept walking through the dark tunnels until she saw a flicker of light. The room was crowded with many of her kind. She had never seen so many vampires. She thought she saw all the recruits at the bar but there was practically an army down here. Renji made his way through the crowd towards her. As more and more began to notice her presence a wave of heads began to bow down to her in recognition.

"Renji! What... I mean... there are so many!" she hissed out.

"Not here," he replied, grabbing her elbow and pulling her away like she was a child. She yanked her arm out of his grip. She was second lieutenant here but everyone failed to fill her in on the direness of the situation. Renji just shook his head at her defiance and led her into another room which she thought to be an office of sorts.

"What the hell was that Renji? Since when did we lift the ban on turning people?" she demanded as soon as the door shut, coming up until her chin practically touched his chest.

"Certain exceptions were made. Somethings starting up Rukia. No one has an inkling of what, but lately more attacks are occurring, and not just on humans," Renji replied, turning around and scratching his head in frustration.

"What are you saying?" she asked.

"I'm saying over the past year, our kind has been targeted by the hollows too! Yea, I know in their state they don't exactly think about who their next victim is, but our numbers were starting to get dwindle. We lifted the ban until we could get more recruits. What would you have had me do?" he was practically yelling by now.

"I'd expect you to call in reinforcements. Implement group tactics. We run better in packs anyway. I wouldn't have expected you to go and involve more innocents into our organization," she replied while trying to get a better grasp on her emotions.

"I did that and so much more! Even in groups they were picked off. These hollows are getting stronger. I tried to make sure as many of these younglings knew what they were getting into. Many were practically on their deathbeds, begging for another chance at life," he replied, trying to soothe her worries and guilt.

"Ha! And what a life it is! You know as well as I do that this life doesn't look so bad until you slip up one day, or until the hunger pangs start setting in," she rebuked. She saw so many new faces in that sea of vampires. They all looked like eager soldiers, hyped up on adrenaline. Just wait until it wore off, they'd only be left to a destitute life.

"Can we discuss this later. I think the next wave of attacks are about to begin," Renji said, grabbing her attention. "For the past few years, the number of attacks have been increasing exponentially. In a crowded city like this, it only seems normal, but I think even the humans are beginning to notice." He made his way to his desk and pulled out a list of names. "These are the first group of victims. Most have the blood type AB-."

Rukia let in a sharp gasp. If the victims were particulary that blood type, this could not have been a coincidence. "You think that someone is trying to create more of us in secrecy?" The thought was preposterous. There was a reason their numbers needed to be maintained. If they all went around killing humans they would be found out for sure. So they incorporated a few of their own people into the blood bank systems, so now they had a steady supply without drawing too much attention. At least this way murders didn't occur by the hundreds.

"Yea but the majority are random cases. We don't know what's going at this point. All we know is that these attacks happen in waves. It usually begins with one person and then a whole wave of hollow attacks breaks out. We think one might happen soon, we're already deploying groups and scattering them across the area. You and me are going to be one group."

"Renji..." Rukia started. If this was his plan to slowly get closer to her, she wouldn't be having any of it. She missed him but getting too close was an equally terrible idea.

"Calm down, it's not what you think. Our strengths combined will be equal to one group so we don't need backup. Right now there are bigger things than you and I," he replied, filing away the list. Rukia just stood their feeling astounded. When did she become the paranoid one.

"I know! So when are we going to head out?" she asked, taking a seat in one of his leather swivel chairs, slowly spinning in circles. His hand put an abrupt stop and practically jerked her out of the seat, his smirk was only too telling that he hoped she would fall out as well.

"As soon as I get the rest of them ordered into groups," and he began to walk away until he turned around with a stern look on his face. "I need you to listen to me Rukia. I know how stubborn you can be," he pressed his index finger firmly against her lips before she bit back with an angry remark. "It's imperative that you listen to me tonight. These hollows have gotten remarkably strong and smart. I can't have you get hurt on my watch." With that he walked off, chest held high with an heir of confidence and yet she could see some of the worry etched into his shoulders.

* * *

The groups were spread out, anticipation filled everyone's veins with extra blood, a kind of adrenaline rush. Both leutenant and second leutenant were stationed at the center of the city on a tall building. They stood on lookout and were watching to see if any of the groups were having trouble. Rukia sat on a gargoyle fifty stories up, watching the busy streets, feet lazily dangling. Renji was more tense. His hand was on the handle of his gun the whole time, eyes scanning across the skyline for signs of a hollow. It scared her to know he was that he was worried. To even see his worry was a whole other subject. He was probably the only other person she knew who could hide what he was thinking as well as she could. Rukia had half a mind to reach out to him and try to get him to relax but knew her efforts would be in vain. She stared at him for a while, he had grown stronger.

The white button up shirt's sleeves were rolled up just below his elbows showing off his toned arms. His pants billowed in the wind. Somewhere deep down she felt the cinch of a familiar feeling, a feeling close to love. Yes, she still cared for him, just not as deeply as she used to. The longer she lived, the more she realized she was basically just hero worshiping him in the past. Rukia hoped someday they could regain their camaraderie and find comfort in each other's presence.

"Would you stop?" her red haired friend asked, turning to her with a sour expression.

"Hm?" she asked, blushing at being caught by him.

"You keep staring at me like I have something stuck in my teeth. It's really creepy." A sly smile formed on his face at seeing the red hue gracing her cheeks. "Or maybe you keep staring because you have a crush on me," he replied with a playful tone. Rukia let out an angry huff and crossed her arms over her chest indignantly.

"In your dreams red headed cockatoo," she replied, turning her face and snubbing him. From the corner of her eye she could see Renji flush and then turn most uncomplimentary color of red.

"You little runt. I'm not even going to justify your comment with a response," he replied angrily.

"Because you couldn't come up with a response," she whispered, just loud enough to cause a vein to pulse on Renji's head. The silence settled back in and Rukia started to look around, she could feel an ominous chill in the air. They both shut up and kept their eyes peeled.

"Did you see him?" Renji's voice asked, a whisper among the whistle of the wind. Her face scrunched up into confusion.

"Who? Oh...him. Yea. I had a little chat with him," she replied. Worry lines started to form on her face. Ichigo needed to get out of here, this city was no longer safe.

"What's wrong? Did you tell him to back off?" Renji asked, eyes burning into her own. Rukia looked away from his intense glare, gulping at what she as about to say.

"Yea. He won't be a problem anymore," Rukia replied silently, looking anywhere but at Renji.

Before she knew it, he was standing right beside her on the gargoyle and looking down at her pointedly. "Don't you dare lie to me Rukia."

"I'm not!" She retorted back, standing up and making eye contact, but guilt punched into her gut. Why was she lying to him? This was Renji, they shared their secrets, their worst moments, their taboo actions. She knew he wouldn't judge her, and he definitely wouldn't snitch, but the past she had with Ichigo was too deep a secret. It was too horrible a memory to ever utter to anyone. She could barely hold herself together just thinking about that night.

Before they could get into another argument a fetid odor filled their noses and caused them to cringe. A piercing screech echoed across the skies, coming from the direction of the rancid smell. The bellowing increased in volume until the cries became a keening sound. A hollow had likely been slain. Soon two more horrendous cries blared out, then four, then it became tens of hollows, slowly appearing out of no where. Rukia's hand mirrored Renji's and slipped her gun out of the holster on her thigh. It was a beautiful gun, pearly white. It took on a soft glow in the moonlight. It was fit to be a weapon of the angels.

"We'll talk about this later. The first wave has arrived," Renji stated, gun clutched in his hands. For a second she thought she saw his hand shake.

After a minute the full brunt of what he said hit her. "Wait, first wave?" Rukia asked. There was at least a hundred lining the skyline. A horrible creeping sensation twisted itself inside her. Something dark was going on, something very foul indeed.

**Sorry, I just had to end it there. If I went on, I would end up not completing it until next weekend. I have a threeday concert series this weekend. I'll try to push some Ichirukiness into the next chapter, but I was hoping to describe Ichigo's job. That'll be a main section but I can say that it will be super emotional, at least for poor Ichigo. **

**Okay well now I have to leave you guys to your lovely reviews. I'll talk about the ring in the next chapter. Don't be shy to criticize my work, I won't bite! No pun intended lol.  
**


	7. Golden Hour

**Oh geez, how long has it been. I think over a year! I AM SOOO SORRYY! I finally have chapter here for all of you as a very late present. Thanks to everyone who waited patiently and thanks for so many wonderful comments. I hope my writing isn't too horrendous. School had me by the throat and I could not escape until now, cuz its SUMMER! So I truly hope you enjoy!**

_**Inspired by "Said the People" by Dinosaur Jr.**_ (listen to it ppl!)

**Golden Hour**

"BEEP BEEP BEEP" went the alarm on Ichigo's cell. His forehead creased in frustration as he reached for his phone on the coffee table. He kept reaching until, he rolled over too much and ended up doing a face plant onto his wooden floors. He let out an annoyed groan and shut the alarm off. His back and neck were less than pleased with state they were forced to be in through the night. Ichigo slowly picked himself off of the floor to a standing position, while trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes. His brain slowly reorientated itself and he remembered how he ended up sleeping on the couch.

Drowsily, he walked towards the bathroom, only to trip on a bag of groceries. One by one, he sifted through the groceries and stored them away in their right places, he couldn't help but think back to his run in with Rukia and when he would meet her again. As he pulled off his coat from the floor, something fell out and rolled across the floor, barely making a sound. His eyes followed the object until it hit a wall, and upon closer inspection he realized it is Rukia's ring. His eyes glazed over it as he rotated the ring in his hands, it looked like an antique. The blood-red garnet was set in the center of four white diamonds. The ring seemed to match the owner perfectly, showing strength, elegance, and passion. Before he could waste more time on it, he placed it on his counter, picked up the TV remote.

As he got dressed for work, he heard that another person had fallen victim to the recent series of murders. A frown slowly settled onto his face as he thought of how Karakura used to be a quiet and pleasant town; an ideal place to settle down and raise a family. After his mother's death, the crime rate just kept going up, and the people who made this town what it was, slowly moved away to safer cities. Now a whole section of the city became amass with criminals, and graffiti lined the walls and stores like an infection. No one liked going into that part of town anymore, but Ichigo tried not to let the dark, dingy surroundings deter him from volunteering and helping the few charities that were stationed there.

He switched the TV off and grabbed his coat and keys. Before he forgot, he grabbed the ring and stashed it in his jean pocket along with his cell phone. He let out a sigh and locked his door, preparing himself mentally for the brutal work ahead of him. Sure he loved his job, but it was beginning to take its toll on him lately.

* * *

"OW!" Renji yelled as Rukia pulled out a metal pole from his shoulder.

"Suck it up! You've got it easier than the rest of them," she replied, taking a glance around the room at all the younglings. She could see the defeated looks in some of their eyes, the realization of what this life entailed had finally hit them. Some of them still had the rush of battle running through their veins, and their bodies itched for more. Blood bags were passed around to those who wasted too much energy during battle and to those who were badly injured.

_By the third wave of hollows, a fourth of the newly turned had been butchered. The night was long and strenuous. They had been fighting for over two hours now and the hoards of monsters kept coming in. They did their best to keep the fight away from the populous areas of the city, but it was getting harder to lure the hollows away when they smelled human blood._

_"Rukia! 2 o'clock, I need you to go help that group," Renji ordered, meanwhile he let loose a barrage of shots, each finding their target._

_"But-"_

_"Just go! I can handle these guys, I'm stronger than the last time you saw me," he told her, giving her a wink and a nudge._

_She sprinted off towards the other inexperienced soldiers. Five hollows surrounded the group of three. Two of them were reloading their guns with quaking hands, 'rookies' was all Rukia could think. She let off five shots, each hitting the hollows in the heart. Each bullet was rigged to explode after impact, incinerating the hollow hearts, it was the only sure fire way to kill them. She grabbed the gun from one of the rookies and reloaded it in half a second, throwing it back to him._

_"One person reloads at a time! Got that? I never want to see you leave yourselves open like that again!" she commanded, projecting Byakuya's finality in her words. Fear was what they needed on the battlefield, it's what forced them to learn from mistakes. She fought alongside them until she trusted that they could survive without her. These hollows looked bigger and stronger then before. They were monstrosities with their deformed looks and the bloodthirsty expression that was painted on their faces. One almost took her arm off with its claws. She spent the night running off of buildings and onto buildings, trying to kill every hollow in sight. She'd be damned if another innocent was killed because she couldn't take out a hollow in time. She'd never let **that night** happen again._

_"I think this is the last group," informed Renji, as he dropped down beside her, shooting a hollow in the heart behind her. The twisted feeling in her gut never seemed to go away throughout the fight. Never in her life had she seen so many hollows. Someone had to be making them and she already had a suspect in mind but prayed that it was not him. If it was, then a war was brewing._

"They'll get over it if they want to survive. We all did," Renji replied, grabbing the bag beside him and slowly drinking. He made sure to leave some for Rukia. "You know, you ought to be first lieutenant from the way you fought out there, but I guess the final decision isn't up to you huh?" He handed her the blood, which she grabbed with fervor.

"I wouldn't have even gotten this position if it weren't for Yamamoto. He gave me an offer and I gladly took it. I was getting bored of the regular scouting jobs Byakuya forces me to take on," she replied, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"I'm glad you took the job," Renji said while taking Rukia's hand into his own. She slowly turned to look at him, letting herself embrace the consolation she felt there. But she could not let herself bask in it too long, her friend had a way of jumping to conclusions.

"Look Rukia," he started, "I was wondering about... well about how you felt... I mean how you feel about... uhhh" he stuttered out, his grip growing more tense by the second. Rukia slowly tried to pull her hand out of his grasp while trying not to hurt his feelings, this however did not go unnoticed by her friend. 'Please don't ask me that question Renji, you won't like the answer,' she thought.

He gulped and finally asked, "How do you feel about going to dinner tonig-"

"I have to go!" Rukia blurted out, slipping her hand out of his reach. She didn't want things to get more awkward then they should be and dinner would only lead Renji in the wrong direction. "I'm so sorry, but I have plans today and I'm just really busy."

"With your _pet_?" he asked with disdain, his voice took on a much darker quality and his eyes started to tinge with the faintest hues of red.

"Will you stop with this whole _pet_ business! How naive do you think I am? How selfish do you think I am! We've been friends for a long time, since the beginning practically. I'd like it to stay that way, can't you respect my wishes Renji?" Rukia asked, her hands shaking with rage and guilt.

Renji placed his hands on Rukia's arms and looked down at her. "You know I could never think those things of you, Rukia. We've been best friends since we were kids, and I can respect your wishes for it to stay the same. I just want you to know, that I will always be here for you, even when you don't want me to," he replied, giving her one last, brief hug. He was lying all the same though, he wanted Rukia in ways that a friend could simply not suffice for. He wanted to love her openly and know that she felt the same. He did not care how many centuries it took her to realize that they were meant to be, he'd be waiting the day she did.

"Thank you, and know that if you need a friend, I'll always be here too," Rukia replied, giving him a quick squeeze. She hoped Renji would stop pursuing her, maybe he would finally start to stop today. She loosened herself from his embrace and picked up her coat and keys. She swiftly moved towards the door but stopped, deciding to give Renji a good-faith gift before she left. Something that would reassure him that he still held something equally as important as her heart.

He held her trust.

She pivoted on her toes, "Renji, would you mind keeping this safe for me, at least until next time," she asked, holding out her pearl white gun. It was antique passed down to the females in the Kuchiki family, and one of her most prized possessions.

"Of course, I'll keep it safe. Have fun tonight, what ever you end up doing," he replied, taking her gun into his own hands with care. With one last smile, Rukia turned and left.

* * *

Ichigo sat in the seat of the ambulance, sipping the last bit of his coffee. He needed to be as alert and awake as he could today. Tatsuki was around back, locking up and doing maintenance on her beloved vehicle.

"Medic 55 respond to 940 Garfield Avenue for ETOH," came the voice of a dispatcher across the radio.

"This is medic 55 responding to ETOH, code 2," Tatsuki replied, as she got into the driver seat. ETOH was lingo for alcohol intoxication and code 2 was the response for an emergency vehicle responding to a call. It was not that uncommon to get a call for ETOH.

"Alright, today's gonna be a busy day," Ichigo replied, chucking the empty coffee cup into the trash can as the ambulance took off, sirens blaring.

"Isn't it everyday?" Tatsuki asked, taking a swift turn to the right. "You're okay right Ichigo?"

"What?" he asked, thrown off guard.

"I mean about... you know..."

"You mean my nightmares?"

"Yea, exactly. I know I'm a little hard on you sometimes, but I'm here for you in case you want to talk."

"Look Tatsuki, I've known you my whole life. You've seen me at my lowest, but I got some help. I did the whole five stages of grief gig and now I've got it all sorted."

"But if you're still having nightmares, clearly you're not all sort-"

"Drop it ok. I'm fine and right now is not when I want to delve into it," Ichigo replied, looking out at the speeding images.

Tatsuki gave him a quick worried look. Ichigo was one of the strongest people she knew, but even she could see how broken up the nightmares left him. If she had those very nightmares every couple of months, forcing her to relive the murder of someone close to her, she would probably have ended up drunk every night.

The day went on and on with the regular calls, some worse than others. But the day was only starting.

Once again Lisa the dispatcher's voice broke through radio, "Medic 55 respond to car accident on corner of Montgomery and Washtenaw, priority 1."

"Dispatcher this is Medic 55 responding to car accident, code 3," replied Ichigo, cursing in his head. Car accidents were pretty bad scenes, especially on busy roads like that. Tatsuki sped through the streets, every second was vital. Cars swerved to the side to make way for the ambulance.

"Move the fuck out of the way!" Tatsuki yelled to a car in her way. Ichigo shared in her frustration, it was enraging to get to a scene and lose someone because of a measly few seconds.

The ambulance halted to a rough stop, both Ichigo and Tatsuki jumped out with lightning speed.

"Dispatch this is medic 55 arriving on scene," Ichigo rattled off, focusing on his job at hand. "Tatsuki you get the equipment, I'm going to go make an assessment of the victims."

The scene was a mess. Cop cars were pulled off to the side, making a barricade against a crowd that had settled in. A woman and a child were off to the sides. The woman had blood trickling down her face, intently watching a man lying on the road, shock written all over her face. The child was bawling and wailing for her mother, the sight caused Ichigo to cringe inwardly in pain. The sight hit a little to close to home. He'd tend to both of them later, seeing as their conditions weren't as critical. The police were still trying to pry a woman, possibly the mother of the child, out of the car. He could hear the foreboding yet comforting siren of another ambulance on its way. 'Hurry up,' Ichigo silently thought, willing the backup to arrive sooner.

Ichigo got down on his knees beside the unconscious man. He leaned down with his ear to the man's mouth to see if he was still breathing. His breathing was labored but his pulse was still going strong.

"Tatsuki we need an ambu bag pronto!" Ichigo yelled, looking the man over for signs of bleeding or trauma. He took out the mini flashlight from his pocket and checked the man's eyes to see if they dilated properly. Ichigo grabbed the ambu bag, placing it over the man's mouth and began pumping fresh oxygen into his lungs. The man started to cough as he regained consciousness.

"Oh god... what... What did I do? My wife, is she okay? Tell me she's okay!" the man started to say in a hoarse voice. His voice scanned the area trying to detect where his wife was.

"John! John I'm here honey!" the wife screamed out upon seeing his eyes open. A police man immediately restrained the women so the professionals could do their work.

"She's fine, just in shock I think. Listen sir, I need you to tell me if you feel any pressure in your chest or abdomen," Ichigo replied, while Tatsuki bandaged up a laceration on the man's forearm.

"I don't think so...no. Are the other people okay? I didn't even see them... they just... there was a child. The child! What happ-"

"Sir we need you to lay down and stop talking for a while. As of now everyone is still alive. You're wife and the child are safe. Can you move your toes for me now?" Tatsuki asked, releasing a breath of relief upon seeing the toes move.

"Ok so no spinal injuries, and I've ruled out internal bleeding. I don't think he's in critical condition. The air bags and seat belt prevented most of the damage. Should I go treat the other victim?," Ichigo replied, getting up to treat the mother in the other car.

"Yeah, I can deal with this one. Go," Tatsuki replied, while she checked on the rest of the cuts.

The mother had finally been released from the vehicle, but it was apparent that she had inhaled smoke for quite a while.

"We checked but she's not breathing and her pulse is barely detectable," one of the police officers informed, worry etched into his face.

"Thanks officer, I'll take it from here," Ichigo replied. He checked her pulse once again, damn it, she was barely alive at that point.

He once again utilized the ambu bag to get oxygen into her lungs. He checked her breathing a second time but it was labored and faint. He unbuttoned her shirt and discovered that one of her ribs was broken. 'Shit!' he thought, this was going to be more complicated. The wall movement around her lung was abnormal, paired with her faint breathing and distended neck veins, could only lead him to believe that her left lung had been punctured. She had tension pneumothorax which basically meant that the air trapped in her lungs was causing pressure to build up, and therefore not allowing her lung to re-inflate.

"Tatsuki, I'm going to perform a needle chest decompression," Ichigo said while running to the ambulance for supplies.

"But we need a clinical diagnosis on that. We have to have approval Ichigo!" Tatsuki replied, worry started to make its way into her mind. If Ichigo lost it again because he wants to save another mother, he would get into a lot more trouble the second time around.

"I can do this!" He yelled, more to himself than anyone else.

He took out the bore needle and located where the third rib was. He just need to puncture the lung there in order to avoid the blood vessels. He could hear the lung being relieved of pressure, now all he needed to do was insert a chest tube.

"Ichigo, I need you get a handle on your emotions. I know all you're hearing right now is that girl crying over there for her mother, but I need you to chill out and take this like every other job," Tatsuki commanded, the backup EMTs were taking care of the other victims. She checked on the woman's vitals again and could see that something was wrong.

"I'm not over my head on this one. I've got it under control," he replied, checking to see if her legs were ok.

"Fuck! Ichigo we've got a case of TBI, we've got to decrease the intracranial pressure," Tatsuki replied, sweat dripping down her forehead. TBI is also known as trauma brain injury. There was a short golden hour in which, if given the proper care, most of the damage could be reversed.

"Damn it! Okay we need to get her to ICU right now," Ichigo replied, Tatsuki was already back with the transport equipment. They loaded her into the ambulance while the other man was being attended to by the other EMT crew.

"Hi, you want to go for a ride in the truck with me and your mommy?" Tatsuki asked, crouching down to the little girl's level.

"Sure," the shy girl replied, tear streaks marring her face.

"Okay!" she replied, picking up the girl and setting her down in the back of the ambulance where Tatsuki soon followed. She locked the doors and held onto the little girl as sobs racked her body.

Ichigo got into the driver's seat, and the sirens blared a loud warning for every car to make way. Guilt ripped at his heart. Should he have focused on the punctured lung? Did he make the right call? Had his foolishness cost a child their mother? So many questions ran through his head. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly and he slammed down on the gas. He just needed to get her to ICU before the golden hour was up, and he'd be damned if traffic was going to stop him.

**YAY! DONE! ****Hopefully I explained all the medical lingo properly and I'm sorry if a bunch of that was just utterly wrong because I am not even close to being a doctor. **Okay as usual I wrote this all at midnight so I'm going to have to proofread later! Thank you for taking the time to read, I promise, Ichigo will not be quite as depressed in following chapters. I hope you loved the song as much as I do! Until next time!


	8. I Promise

**Yea, I know, late as usual. This is a little fluffy I guess but hopefully you enjoy the little snip-it of whats to come at the end of this chapter. I had fun writing this chapter cuz of a certain adorable character. Hope you guys enjoy, yes, there will be grammar mistakes because once again I wrote this in the past two days. I will fix it for you guys later. Ok so without further ado *drum roll*!**

**I Promise**

The thuds of a cane and whistling reverberated in the hallways, as Kisuke limped towards his office. With a flick of his cane, he turned the light switch on. With his back turned to the windows and his desk, he slowly put away his coat.

"You know it's rude to drop in on someone without warning, Rukia," he said, causing his chair to swivel around and reveal the presence of a certain vampire.

"How'd you know?" she asked with intrigue.

"That's a secret you don't need to know," he replied with a smile.

"In all honesty, you scare me sometimes Urahara."

"Come now, you didn't really come here to find out the tricks of my trade. What's your business here?" He slowly made his way towards Rukia and sat on the edge of his desk, as she peered up at him with her fingers twiddling.

"Well, actually, it's about Ichigo and the mission you gave me," she replied with discomfort evident in her voice. Kisuke Urahara was an enigma just like her brother, but in many ways, he was far scarier than Byakuya. Byakuya was practically a robot and predictable, Rukia could tell exactly what thoughts were running through his head, even if his face showed no signs. Kisuke on the other hand was a complete mystery, right down to the fact that he never took off his hat. The thoughts that ran through his head were a complete and utter mystery, his social life was almost nonexistent, and he always seemed to have eyes on the back of his head. Sometimes it seemed like he had eyes all over the city.

"A mission makes it seem so serious. I just wanted you to look out for him. Now what's you issue, did something happen to Ichigo?" he asked. Rukia thought she heard a hint of curiosity in his voice or was it worry. As soon as she turned her eyes downwards, she felt a hard jab to the head.

"Ow! You hit me with your cane!"

"Out of my seat!" he replied, nudging her off his chair and then taking his place.

"I just wanted to tell you that I can't watch over him anymore."

"Oh... And why is that?"

"Because! He decided to follow me the other day and almost got himself killed! Now Renji knows about him and he just won't let go of the whole matter. Then there's the matter of Ichigo and he is just sooo-"

"Wait, what do you mean Renji knows about him? He knows you're watching over him, on my orders? Did he tell anyone else?" Kisuke asked with what Rukia swore was fear in her eyes.

"No, he doesn't know everything. He doesn't really know anything, I just told him that Ichigo helped me out of a tough spot and he didn't know any better. But that's exactly why I need this whole thing to stop. Your godson is demanding that I have dinner with him and no offense, but that little menace goes looking for trouble everywhere!"

"You've seduced my little godson I see," he replied with a chuckle, which caused Rukia's eyes to narrow. This was not a laughing matter."I see He still takes after his father in the trouble department. I see your dilemma but I'm afraid you're going to have to see this, uh, _mission_, through."

"What? You don't understand, I can't protect my people and him at the same time. Plus Renji is threatening Ichigo's life if I don't stop seeing him, which I am _not_ doing!"

"Don't sell yourself short. You know very well you can handle protecting them both. You're scared of something but it's not of Renji's threats. Just tell him a little fib, you've done it before."

"Excuse me! What exactly are you implyi-"

"Well, I'm afraid your times up. I'm quite busy, and I'm afraid for now, you're just going to have to stick it out for a little longer."

"But Urahara! What's going on? Why does Ichigo need protection now after all these years?"

"How many times do I have to tell you, this is a secret you don't need to know about right now. I do have to warn you though, if you decide to quit on our agreement, then I might have to tell Byakuya about your unauthorized escapades."

"I... I have no idea what you're talking about," her voice wavering as nerves overtook her.

"Really? You know... the ones where you'd go running across rooftops and frequently checking up on a boy. The very boy who you now wish to stay away from." Rukia's head started to spin, just exactly how much did he know about her past.

"Fine," she gritted out, "I'll keep an eye on him." She opened the door to walk out.

"Oh and Rukia?" Urahara asked, stopping her in the doorway.

"Yes?" she asked warily.

"Have fun at dinner," he replied with a grin that even the cheshire cat would envy. She slammed the door and stormed out, she swore she could see smoke coming out of her ears. The most disturbing part of it all, she almost missed the carrot top and the havoc he wreaked on her emotions.

* * *

The middle of the day was when the hospital got the busiest. Doctor Unohana watched as a familiar face rolled a patient into the emergency services section of the hospital. Her eyes met the ocher irises of a boy she watched grow up. She could tell from his pained expression that he was in deep turmoil, and all she could think was, 'not again.'

"What do we have here?" she asked Ichigo calmly as he rolled the patient in urgently.

"She was in a car accident, I performed a needle chest decompression, she has a trauma brain injury, and possible internal bleeding," he swiftly replied, silently praying in his head.

"Any broken bones?" Dr. Unohana inquired.

"No, none that are visible," he replied, getting ready to let go of the stretcher and let the doctor work her magic.

"Ok we have it from here. Don't worry Ichigo, we'll do our best," she said, trying to muster up hope. With that, Dr. Unohana and the victim disappeared behind two swinging doors.

"Damn it!" Ichigo hissed out from underneath his breath. He clenched his hair with his fists and turned around, only to be met with the sight of Tatsuki on the phone. He had a vague idea who she was talking to as he stormed at her from behind.

"Yea. It's not good. I can see him trying to hold himself together, but I know... I know how broken up he is right now. Do you want us to come back to the station and-" Tatsuki was talking in rushed whispers, when a hand appeared out of no where and grabbed the phone out of her hands.

"Hey! What's your problem?" she sniped, only to grow wide-eyed at the sight of a fuming Ichigo.

"Tatsuki will call you later, and we're not coming back to the station Ishida," Ichigo spoke into the phone, and hung up before a response could be heard by the man on the opposite end.

"Ichigo, no way are we going to go onto another call!" Tatsuki hissed.

"Enough! I can't believe you think I'm so weak that every time we get a case that goes wrong, I need to take the day off!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her outside to not be in the way of the doctors. "I'm fine! Now let's move onto the next call."

"Stop! Ichigo, no one thinks you're weak. But this case and the last one like it, it'd be too much for anyone to handle. I don't want you to... Look I'm going to be brutally honest right now because time is of the essence. I don't want you responding to another call in the distracted state you're in and come to regret something else," Tatsuki practically pleaded. "Please, don't keep pushing yourself."

Ichigo saw the worry that was evident in her eyes and that could be heard in her voice. With a sigh he gave in. "Fine."

"Okay. I'll take you back to the station and you can just sort you're thoughts out or something."

"Um... I think I'd rather stay here. I can keep the girl company while we wait to see how her mother turns out," Ichigo replied, averting his gaze from the pity he was sure to see in Tatsuki's eyes.

"Yea, whatever. Just call me if you need a ride," Tatsukia replied, giving his arm a comforting squeeze before turning to leave.

* * *

"Hey, do you mind if I sit here?" Ichigo asked a little girl that looked to be the age of five or six.

"No," she replied, giving him sideways glance as he took the seat beside her. "Hey, didn't you dwive me here?"

"Yea, actually I did. I thought I'd wait with you while you're mommy is getting all fixed up," he replied, giving her a comforting smile.

"Thanks," she sniffled out,"My name is Nel."

"Mine is Ichigo," he replied.

"Itsygo," she giggled out, "like a strawbewy." The twinkle in her big round eyes was the only thing stopping Ichigo from fuming at being called a strawberry again.

"Not really," he replied, but upon seeing the dismay on her face, he followed up with, "but yea I guess it could be like a strawberry... sure."

Happy to have her way, she dangled her legs beneath her seat. "Is... is my mommy gonna be okay?"

Caught off guard, Ichigo did his best to give her hope without giving her a promise,"I... uh... I hope so."

"Me too. I think she will be fine. My mommy is supa stwong! She has to be okay cuz... cuz... I wuv her and I miss her," Nel replied, but her sniffling became stronger, her eyes started to tear up, and her face screwed up into that expression Ichigo feared the most. "Itsygo... I want my mommy!" she began to wail.

'Shit! shit, shit, shit, shit!' was all Ichigo could think. He hated it when girls cried because he was the worst when it came to dealing with them. He usually made the situation worse with his untrustworthy mouth.

"It's okay, um... You're mom's going to be fine," he replied trying to lace his words with hope.

Her crying ceased for a second, and she looked him right in the face with her doe-eyes. He let out an inner sigh of relief, maybe he was better at stopping little girls from crying.

"You promise?" she asked, desperately clinging onto his shirt sleeve while still giving him that teary-eyed look. 'Spoke to soon. Now what do I say?' he thought.

"Umm... well..." was all he could sputter out. He was searching for any kind of words of encouragement that could be as strong as a promise but not quite so definitive. He knew how easily a child's trust could be broken, and if her mother didn't pull through, Nel would never forgive him. Before he could think anymore, his stupid and traitorous mouth started to say those very words of 'I promise.' But before he could get past "I," another voice saved him.

"Are you harassing little children for fun now Ichigo?" came the voice of a raven haired mystery.

"Rukia?" he asked, puzzled by her presence, "What are you doing here?" Not that he didn't want her there, she just saved him from making the riskiest promise of his life.

"Yeaaaa, what _are _you doing here?" piped in the voice of Nel, clinging closer and more protectively to Ichigo. She gave Rukia a glare that was almost threatening except for the sniffle and hiccup every now and then.

Rukia was just about to leave the hospital when the brightest and rudest shade of orange blinded her. Despite her mind telling her to avoid the human, her feet stayed planted on the ground and she observed his interactions with the little girl. She even found herself smiling in reaction to Ichigo's genuine smile. But then something was wrong and she could practically see the sweat dripping off of his skin. That's when the little girl started to sob and he turned into a blubbering idiot, the buffoon must have said something horrible to her. She groaned inwardly and trudged towards them.

"I was visiting Urahara and I was just about to leave until I saw you make this girl cry!" Rukia replied, smirking inwardly at the reaction she was sure to receive, and receive it she did.

"What! I didn't make her cry! I was trying to make her feel better actually," he replied, his face red hot. "Isn't that right, Nel?"

"Yea but *hick* you never pwomised me, Itsygo," she replied, giving him the pleading look again.

"Promised you what?" Rukia asked, crouching down to the little girl's eye level.

"That my mommy is gonna be okay," she replied sweetly, breaking both Ichigo and Rukia's hearts.

"Look kiddo, I can't promise you that right now. But I can promise you one thing which is that she loves you very much!" he replied with his hand on top of her head, pleased with his answer. Unfortunately, she was not and she slapped his hand away to show it.

"I _know_ she wuvs me! That's why I don't want her to leave me!" she replied, her eyes growing redder, and tears starting to form. Ichigo berated himself, how did he seem to get himself into these situations? If he had just worked faster, maybe he could have saved her mother's life, maybe he could have been able to give this little girl a promise. From the ride here, he learned that she didn't even have a father. Had he just orphaned this child? He'd never be able to forgive himself if this girl ended up the way he was now.

Rukia's voice broke him out of his own guilt-ridden mind, "Of course he can promise you! You know what? I'll do you one better, what is your mom's name?

"It's Natsumi Odelschwanck," she replied.

"_I_ promise you that Natsumi Odelschwanck will walk out of this hospital better than ever!"

"Really?" both Ichigo and Nel exclaimed simultaneously.

"Yup!" she replied happily, she could see the comfort that visibly settled onto the face and body of the little girl.

"Rukia, can I talk to you for a moment?" Ichigo asked in a menacing voice, not at all pleased by the way she frivolously spoke her words. He got up out of his seat and towered over her with his hands on his hips.

"Sure, Kurosaki. Hey, Nel, I have a present for you while me and Ichigo go talk," Rukia replied, pulling out a chappy the bunny lollipop.

"Chappy!" Nel squealed with delight.

"Stay here Nel," Ichigo commanded. Not even a second later, Rukia felt a rough tug pull her to her feet and away from the little girl. They rounded a corner and Ichigo unhanded her, forcing her to stumble backwards.

"Jeez Ichigo! You don't have to be so brutish!" she replied, giving him a shove back. She shrank inwardly as Ichigo's furious face closed in on hers. There noses were an inch apart and soon she found herself with her back pinned to the wall, but she kept her head upturned, exuding as much confidence as she could. She wouldn't let this boy intimidate her.

"What the hell is wrong with you? What on earth would make you promise her something like that?" he demanded, both hands on either side of her.

"Because that's exactly what _will_ happen!" she spit back, forcing his back to straighten and his face to movie away in bewilderment. She sounded so sure of herself at the moment that even he believed her.

"And what if you're wrong? Do you know how heart-broken that girl will be?" he asked. How did she not see the gravity of the situation? Hope was a very fragile thing to give at this point.

"She won't be because I'm right!" Rukia fought back. How was she supposed to explain to him that being what she was, allowed her to do certain things, like healing people. All it would take was another visit to the hospital, she already had the mother's name so she could go visit her, but she could not explain that to him. Rukia took everything back, she didn't miss Ichigo and his emotionally destabilizing abilities!

"You better hope so or-"

"Itsygo?" came the voice of Nel, Ichigo peered around the corner and saw her small form slowly walking towards them. He hoped that she had not heard a word, but seeing her satisfactory smile as she licked her lollipop, he was sure she hadn't.

"Yea Nel?" he asked, walking towards her, Rukia following from behind and glared daggers at his head. It surprised her how fast his demeanor could change. One minute he was seething with fury and the next he was sweet as a puppy.

Nel grabbed at his sleeve, signaling him to crouch down so she could tell him something. He kneeled down in front of her and crouched down so she could whisper in his ear. "Were you kissing Wukia?" she asked while giggling. Ichigo's face turned strawberry red as he snuck a glance at the figure behind him, praying that she did not hear that. Unbeknown to him, she had heard every single word, but she pressed her lips together and tried to remain placid and look unaware. She had to use all her strength to surpress the laughter eager to burst out. What a joke! Her kissing that vulgar man, there was no telling where those lips had been. Then again, her lips weren't exactly pure either.

"Weeell?" Nel asked.

"Of course not! Me and that little midget? I'd rather kiss a monkey," he explained to Nel with a grin, which earned him a sharp kick to his back, causing him to yelp in pain.

"Are you okay Ichigo?" Rukia asked, feigning innocence.

"Yes," he said through clenched teeth, "c'mon Nel, let's go back to your seat," he replied. Rukia stared at him with a puzzled expression. He stood there with his back to her and his arms in front of him, not following after Nel, but engrossed in something else. Growing suspicious she tried to sneak a peak at what he was doing but every time she moved, he would too, in order to hide whatever was in his hands from her.

"Ichigo! Kurosaki! What the heck are you doing?" she yelled out, feeling like an idiot for playing this stupid game with him. He always managed to make her feel like a child again.

He turned around swiftly and placed her phone into her coat pocket. "Just texted myself with your cell and now I have your number. Dinner. Tomorrow. You can't back out and I think I'll be nice and let you choose the restaurant," he replied. A smirk started to form on his face upon seeing Rukia standing still in astonishment.

"How?...When?" was all that came out of her mouth. That damn bastard pick-pocketed her! That conniving little brute actually got the drop on her.

"While we were arguing. Which we'll continue tomorrow," he replied, and started to walk away.

A thousand curses streamed through her head. How did he always manage to get under her skin. Even Byakuya wouldn't be able to stand this man's, no, not man... this boy's antics!

She fumed out of the hospital, pulling on her hoody. Ichigo certainly was not the little boy she remembered from all those years ago. He seemed polite and quiet from afar, but with her, he seemed to come completely undone. In return, Rukia constantly found herself surprised, appalled, angry, and even elated, though she dared not show him that. She tried not to give him the pleasure of seeing her become ardent and impassioned. Upon conjuring up these past thoughts, she remembered Kisuke's words. How in the world did he know about her check-ups on Ichigo? She made sure to be extremely cautious and surreptitious.

After that night, after that accident, Rukia took it upon herself to watch over that little orange haired boy. It was the least she owed him. But her goal was to do it from afar, she never wanted to actually have to interact with him. She would visit him every month, sometimes twice a month if it looked like there was trouble. She watched him slowly grow into a man but a distant and closed off one. Rukia's immortality allowed her to gain insight into the mortal mind through years of observation from the shadows. One thing she knew, was that although Ichigo looked like he was emotionally stable and content, there was a brooding quality to his life. He never allowed relationships to fully develop, he stayed very close to his family, sometimes forsaking his social life in order to protect and take care of them. This was the man she knew from afar, the man the rest of the world saw.

The man she knew now was completely different. It was like her presence flipped a switch in him. He was confident verging on cocky, he grinned like a little mischievous boy, and when she let him have his way he smiled with the pleasure of knowing he had won. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that they both unconsciously let their guards down around each other. Somehow they both brought out the strong, vibrant, and scary emotions that they kept bottled up inside. 'Kisuke, what the hell did you get us into?'

**Yay! hope the end cleared a little up, it'll be fleshed out more later on in the story. Ok so if you loved it or hated it Review Review Review! Cuz that's the only way I know if this thing is headed in the write direction!**


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